The Nagrota Assembly constituency has achieved an impressive 75.08 percent voter turnout in today’s by-election, marking a significant engagement from the electorate. Polling proceeded smoothly across all 150 polling stations, as confirmed by the Election Commission.
The fate of 10 candidates lies sealed in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), including prominent figures such as BJP’s Devyani Rana and NC’s Shamim Begum. Vote counting is scheduled for November 14.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sanjeev Verma assured that the by-poll witnessed “completely peaceful and smooth polling.” The CEO toured various polling stations and highlighted that voters appreciated the facilities provided, which included wheelchairs, drinking water, and efficient queue management.
Officials noted the temporary replacement of one or two EVMs due to technical issues, but emphasized that polling resumed promptly with no significant disruption.
The turnout this election closely mirrors the robust turnout during the last Assembly elections in 2024 when Nagrota recorded a notable 77.66% turnout. This by-election figure shows a strong commitment from local voters.
In 2024, BJP’s Devender Singh Rana emerged victorious with 48,113 votes, while NC’s Joginder Singh followed with just 17,641 votes. Congress candidate Balbir Singh secured merely 5,979 votes. A total of 74,083 votes were cast in the last election. Officials predict a similar number of votes will be recorded this time, with a revised electorate standing at around 98,000 voters.
Ensuring voter safety, substantial security arrangements were in effect with the deployment of paramilitary and police personnel at sensitive polling sites. The Election Commission’s Observers, including General, Police, and Expenditure observers, monitored the booths. Senior officials also oversaw activities at special polling stations.
At the end of polling at 6 PM, officials securely relocated the EVMs to strong rooms, which will remain under constant surveillance until counting day.
In a technological advancement for this election, presiding officers utilized the ‘Presiding Officer App’ under the ECI’s Integrated ECTNet platform. This development facilitated timely booth-wise turnout data uploads, minimizing human error and delays in reporting.
This by-election was triggered by the unexpected demise of BJP stalwart Devender Singh Rana, who passed away shortly after securing his Assembly seat in 2024.
The BJP nominated his daughter, Devyani Rana, an Economics graduate from the University of California. She campaigned on promises of “professional and inclusive development.” In contrast, NC’s Shamim Begum, a sitting DDC member, leaned on grassroots connections and party strength.
Harshdev Singh, a former minister who contested for the first time in Nagrota, positioned himself as an “alternative voice.” Meanwhile, Independent candidate Anil Sharma, a former Sarpanch, sought local support by emphasizing welfare assurances.
The friendly weather motivated voters to queue for hours after polling began at 9 AM. Voters at the Kol Kandoli polling station expressed their intent to vote to maintain the pace of development in the Nagrota area.
Political dynamics in Nagrota reveal a history of alternation between BJP and NC over the past five elections, with BJP winning in 2002, 2008, and 2024, while NC clinched victories in 1996 and 2014. This time, Congress did not field a candidate, opting out of NC’s campaign despite being traditional allies at the UT level.
The ongoing by-poll alongside Budgam will fill two vacancies in the 90-member J&K Assembly, which currently has 88 sitting MLAs. The vacancies arose due to the death of Rana and the resignation of former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who left Budgam after retaining Ganderbal.