Budgam Assembly Bypoll Counting Commences in J-K
Vote tally underway to decide fate of 17 candidates after high turnout
SRINAGAR, Nov 14: The counting of votes for the Budgam Assembly bypoll in Jammu and Kashmir began at 8 am on Friday, officials said. The process is underway at the Government Higher Secondary School in Budgam, where all arrangements have been put in place to ensure smooth counting.
The bypoll saw a turnout of 50.01 per cent on Tuesday, with more than half of the electorate casting their votes. The constituency has around 1.26 lakh registered voters.
The election was necessitated after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah vacated the Budgam seat following his victory in both Budgam and Ganderbal in last year’s assembly elections. Abdullah chose to retain the Ganderbal seat, considered his family stronghold.
A total of 17 candidates are in the fray, with National Conference nominee Aga Syed Mehmood facing strong competition from PDP’s Aga Muntazir. Other prominent contenders include BJP’s Syed Mohsin, Awami Ittehad Party leader Nazir Ahmad Khan, Aam Aadmi Party candidate Deeba Khan, and independent candidate Muntazir Mohiuddin.
