Protesters, security forces clash during Kashmir elections, Huge turnout dampens separatists

by Sanjay Jha | November 23, 2008 at 11:42 pm

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Defying the boycott call given by separatists, a large number of people turned up for the second phase of Assembly elections in Indian Kashmir on Sunday. Some places registered record polling. The overall polling percentage in Rajouri and Ganderbal districts was put at 59.09 per cent.

It was much higher than the turnout in the 2002 elections which recorded 52 per cent and 35 per cent in Kangan and Ganderbal respectively. The fate of many candidates including that of National Conference president Omar Abdullah was sealed in Sunday’s election held under the shadow of a boycott and strike call given by the separatist-sponsored Coordination Committee, and killing of two youths in Baramulla on Saturday.

With thousands of armed troops standing guard, Kashmiris yet again defied the separatist boycott call and harsh weather to vote in large numbers in the second phase of Jammu and Kashmir polls on Sunday. About 65% of the nearly five-lakh electorate voted to decide the fate of 81 candidates, including National Conference leader Omar Abdullah. The first round of voting last week saw a turnout of 67%.

Kashmir divisional commissioner Masood Samoon said polling in six constituencies — Kangan, Ganderbal in the Valley and Nowshera, Darhal, Rajouri, Kalakot in the Jammu region — was by and large peaceful. Polling in the region was between 44% and 73%. Kangan and Ganderbal reported turnouts of 60% and 44%, he said, against 52% and 35% in 2002.

National Conference chief Omar Abdullah said the jump in the turnout in his constituency of Ganderbal would work in his favour and help him reclaim his family's traditional stronghold. "I toured Ganderbal and was delighted to see the voters' excitement," he said. "I'm confident that I'll win by a huge margin and this would be an index to National Conference's popularity."

Analysts say absence of the militant threat has also contributed to the high voter turnout. For the first time in 20 years, militants have pledged non-violent elections. More than 800 people were killed in the terrorist violence sin the run up to polls in 2002.

The second round of the vote in the staggered balloting came less than 24 hours after police killed two anti-poll protesters at Baramulla fuelling concerns about its likely impact on Sunday's polling.

Anti-election demonstrators threw stones at two polling stations and clashed with Indian security forces Sunday as voters stood in long lines in Indian Kashmir to cast ballots in the second stage of state elections.

The protesters yelled pro-independence and anti-poll slogans and threw stones at polling stations in two villages in the Ganderbal constituency, police said.

Police used batons to restore order, but no one was injured, police said.

People demonstrated in two other villages, Duderhama and Beehama in Ganderbal constituency -- one of six constituencies voting Sunday in the second of seven stages in the state assembly elections.

The elections began after months of violent protests by anti-Indian groups, fearful state elections will firm up Indian control of the Muslim majority Himalayan state, and by Indian nationalists, fearful that separatist groups will gain control.

Kashmir, divided between India and Pakistan and claimed by both, has been wracked by an 18-year bloody separatist campaign that authorities say has left at least 43,000 dead.

Sunday's protests came a day after Indian paramilitary forces, according to authorities, gunned down two youths, one of them a high school student apparently taking part in an anti-India demonstration.