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Campaigning ends for Baramulla Lok Sabha seat in north Kashmir
Updated On: 19 May, 2024 08:53 AM IST | Srinagar | PTI
The constituency is spread over 18 assembly segments in the three districts of Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora and also includes two segments of Budgam
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The blazing campaign trail in the prestigious Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency ended on Saturday, setting the stage for more than 17.32 lakh eligible voters to exercise their franchise in the fifth phase of the general elections on May 20. The first major political battle post the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 will decide the fate of Omar Abdullah, the National Conference vice-president and a former chief minister of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state, and 21 others in the fray from the north Kashmir seat.
The constituency is spread over 18 assembly segments in the three districts of Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora and also includes two segments of Budgam. Officials said the political blitzkrieg witnessed over the past few weeks from the candidates, including 14 Independents -- two of whom are women -- ended peacefully at 6 pm for the mandatory 48-hour "silence period" before the 13-hour-long polling on May 20. A total 2,103 polling stations, including 1,859 in rural and 244 in urban areas, have been set up to facilitate the voters to register their choice, they said, adding that all necessary arrangements, including security, have been put in place to ensure free, fair and smooth polling. Abdullah faces the biggest challenge from separatist-turned-politician and former minister Sajad Lone, who heads the People`s Conference. The entry of Awami Ittehad Party`s Sheikh Abdul Rashid, alias Engineer Rashid, who is lodged in Delhi`s Tihar jail after his arrest in 2019 by the National Investigation Agency in a terror-funding case, has also made the contest interesting. People`s Democratic Party candidate Fayaz Mir, a former Rajya Sabha member, is also in the fray.
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