Anantnag (Jammu and Kashmir): On May 25, votes will be cast for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, marking the sixth and final phase of parliamentary elections in Jammu and Kashmir. With 20 candidates vying for the seat, over 18.36 lakh voters will determine the outcome.
The Anantnag-Rajouri constituency spans five districts: Kulgam, Anantnag, Shopian (Zainapora), Poonch, and Rajouri, according to data from the Chief Electoral Officer's office. The 18,36,576 registered voters include 9,33,647 men and 9,02,902 women.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has set up 2,338 polling stations in the constituency. Each station will be manned by a presiding officer and four election staff members, totalling over 9,000 polling staff. Additionally, 19 border polling stations have been established in Rajouri and Poonch districts.
Each polling station will provide drinking water, electricity, toilets, wheelchairs, and other necessary facilities. Separate queues will be arranged for senior citizens and disabled voters, with voter help desks managed by booth-level officers.
To ensure a transparent and peaceful election, stringent security measures, including drones, CCTV, and advanced technology, will be implemented. Additional security forces will be deployed at sensitive locations, with security personnel stationed inside and outside polling booths under CCTV surveillance.
Since the election date was announced, law enforcement agencies in the Union Territory have seized approximately RS 94.797 crore in cash, significant quantities of alcohol, and other narcotics. The police department confiscated Rs 90.831 crore, the Income Tax department seized Rs 42 lakh in illegal assets, the Excise department captured Rs 1.01 crore, and the Narcotics Control Bureau seized drugs worth Rs 2.32 crore.
The Delimitation Commission reconstituted the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency in 2022, incorporating most parts of Rajouri and Poonch districts while excluding parts of Pulwama and Shopian. This redistricting has heightened the significance of the Anantnag-Rajouri seat, drawing attention from all major political parties.
Notable candidates include former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference's Mian Altaf, Apni Party's Zafar Iqbal Khan Manhas, and 10 independent candidates, including Mohammad Saleem Paray. The BJP has not fielded its own candidate but is supporting Apni Party's Zafar Iqbal Manhas.
Since its formation in 1967, the Anantnag seat has sent nine different faces to the Parliament. Indian National Congress candidates have won four times, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference candidates six times, Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party candidates twice, and Janata Dal once.
From 1967 to 1977, Mohammad Shafi Qureshi of the Indian National Congress represented the erstwhile Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, winning three consecutive terms. In 1980, Ghulam Rasool Kochak from the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference succeeded him, marking the beginning of the National Conference's influence in the region.
In 1984, Begum Akbar Jahan Abdullah, also from the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, took office, and the party's dominance continued through 1989 with Piyare Lal Handoo representing the seat. The political landscape shifted in 1996 when Mohammad Maqbool Dar of the Janata Dal was elected to the Anantnag seat. This change was short-lived as Mufti Mohammad Sayeed from the Indian National Congress won the seat in 1998. The following year, Ali Muhammad Naik brought the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference back into power.
In 2004, Mehbooba Mufti of the Jammu & Kashmir People's Democratic Party was elected to the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, marking her party's rise. This seat changed hands again in 2009 when Mirza Mehboob Beg of the National Conference took office. Mehbooba Mufti regained the seat in 2014, reflecting her party's continued influence. Most recently, in 2019, Hasnain Masoodi of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference was elected to the erstwhile Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, indicating the party's resilience and sustained presence in the political landscape of Jammu & Kashmir.
The election, originally scheduled for May 7, was postponed to May 25 due to adverse weather conditions, following requests from multiple parties, including BJP, Apni Party, and DPAP.
