The fifth and final phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir ended on Wednesday with 39.6 percent voter turnout recorded in Baramulla and 65 percent in Ladakh.
Moderate to brisk polling took place at some polling booths in the Baramulla Parliamentary constituency spread over three north Kashmir districts -- Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara -- and having 15 Assembly segments.
However, people in the Baramulla town, the Sopore township, Palahalan, Bandipora and some other areas boycotted the vote.
Some polling booths in Sopore, Baramulla and Palhalan were attacked by stone-pelters. Police fired teargas shells to disperse the protesters. The Kupwara town, Handwara, Sangrama and some other rural areas of the constituency saw brisk voter turnout.
A CRPF man was injured when an explosive material went off near a Palhalan polling station. “The Baramulla Parliamentary constituency recorded 39.6 percent turnout,” Chief Electoral Officer Umang Narula told reporters.
He said 63.19 percent turnout was recorded in Kupwara, 25.04 percent in Baramulla and 35.65 percent in Bandipora districts.
Although 15 candidates were in the fray, the main contest was between the National Conference’s sitting MP Sharif-ud-Din Shariq and the PDP’s Muzaffar Hussain Baig.