SRINAGAR: Unlike the past elections when people used to completely boycott voting, the Soura area in downtown and volatile Srinagar witnessed some polling during the District Development Council (DDC) polls on Saturday.
In another change from the past, the voting was peaceful with no stone pelting or shutdowns. Seven seats out of 14 in Srinagar and a total of 43 out of 280 seats went to polling in the first phase of DDC polls on Saturday.
Three polling booths for residents of Shah Faesal Colony and Illahibagh areas of Soura were set up at Saint Solomon High School in Illahibagh area, which had in the past witnessed many clashes between security forces and stone pelting youth. The Anchar locality, a few kilometres from Illahibagh, had emerged as a major flashpoint for clashes after scrapping of Article 370 last year.
Armoured vehicles of police and CRPF were deployed outside the booths to ensure safe and secure polling with security personnel keeping strict vigil. Till 1 pm, 133 out of the 3184 voters in these booths had exercised their rights. However, the polling officials were more than satisfied. “In the previous polls here, near zero per cent voting used to take place.
But today, things have changed and over 100 votes have been cast,” said one of the officials. “The polling has been peaceful and we hope the next hour also passes off peacefully,” added a police officer. It was the first time that no stone pelting incident had taken place in the area on polling day. Also, there was no shutdown called by separatists and the shops in the area remained open.
The vehicular movement on the inner and main road was also normal. The polling staff at some polling stations in Srinagar acknowledged that there has been a change in the pattern of polling in DDC polls as compared to previous elections.