Budgam bypoll: 49.92 per cent turn out recorded

Srinagar, Nov 11 (PTI) Nearly 50 per cent of the electorate exercised their franchise in the bypoll in the Budgam assembly constituency in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, officials said.

The tentative poll percentage recorded at the end of the polling in Budgam was 49.92 per cent, officials added.

Polling began at 7 am amidst chilly conditions as the valley witnessed sub-zero night temperatures at most places, and ended at 6 pm.

The poll percentage in the bypoll was slightly lower than last year's assembly polls of 52.27 per cent.

The Budgam assembly constituency has around 1.26 registered voters.

The polls are being seen as a litmus test for Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's government and his party, the National Conference (NC). The bypoll was necessitated after Abdullah vacated the seat following his election from the family bastion of Ganderbal as well in last year's assembly polls.

Budgam has been a bastion of the NC with its candidates securing victory from the constituency since 1962, barring once in 1972 when the Congress candidate won from the seat.

NC Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar, Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, won from the Budgam seat in the 2002, 2008 and 2014 assembly polls, before Abdullah emerged victorious from here in 2024.

There were 17 candidates in the fray as Aga Syed Mehmood of the ruling National Conference faces a stiff challenge from the PDP's (People's Democratic Party) Aga Muntazir.

Besides the two Shia candidates, other key candidates include the BJP's Syed Mohsin, Awami Ittehad Party's Nazir Ahmad Khan, Aam Aadmi Party's Deeba Khan, and independent candidate Muntazir Mohiuddin.

The counting of votes is scheduled for November 14. PTI SSB MPL MPL