11.43 per cent voter turnout in J&K till 9 am

Baramulla: Voter turn out in Jammu and Kashmir was recorded 11.43 percent till 9 am during the ongoing first phase of Lok Sabha elections.

Scores of Kashmiri Pandits from Udhampur had come out of their homes to cast votes for Baramulla parliamentary constituency at a special polling station set-up at Municipal Town Hall.

Speaking to ANI, a voter said: “We are migrants here. It is our duty to cast vote. We want to return to Baramulla.”
Meanwhile, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, Omar Abdullah urged his colleagues on Twitter to encourage people to turn out in large numbers to cast their ballot in favor of Congress candidate Raman Bhalla.

“To all my @JKNC_ colleagues & workers in Jammu, Rajouri & Poonch districts please vote & use your vote to send a message against communalism, against fear & against the broken promises of the last 5 years. Vote for Raman Bhalla & send him to the Lok Sabha to fight for Jammu and Kashmir,” he tweeted.

“To my young colleagues in the @JKYNC_ lead by @salmansagar_ & @ajazjan please encourage the youth to come out in large numbers to cast their votes for peace, progress, communal harmony and against the BJP and its proxy parties,” Abdullah said in another tweet.

The Lok Saha elections are being held at a time when the state is under President’s rule after the fall of Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP combine government following the withdrawal of support to it by the BJP in June 2018.

Voting for 6 Lok Sabha seats will be held in five phases: April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6. Counting will be done on May 23.

[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]