The staggered Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly elections concluded peacefully Wednesday with marginally high turnout despite Muslim separatists' boycott call.
The overall voting percentage in the state in the seven phases of voting was 63, poll officials calculated.
Of more than 4.8 million eligible voters, over three million voters cast their ballot, the officials said.
Despite sporadic incidents of violence during the more than one-month-long exercise, the conduct of polls was by and large peaceful in the troubled state, wrought by years of separatist violence since 1989.
The first phase held Nov 17 saw 64 percent of electorate exercising their franchise. The polling in 10 constituencies in the Muslim dominated Kashmir Valley, the Hindu majority Jammu region and the mainly Buddhist Ladakh proved a turning point for other parts of the region vying for peace and development.
The second round Nov 23 saw even a higher turnout. It was 65 percent in two constituencies of the Kashmir Valley and four in the Jammu region.
In a state that has so often resounded with cries of "freedom", the sentiment during the elections, analysts say, was one of longing for better quality of life.
"Issues of road connectivity, schools, water and electricity drew voters to the ballot box," said Bashir Manzar, editor of an English daily here.
The third phase recorded a voting of 62 percent in the five constituencies, which went to polls Nov 30. Fifty-five percent of the electorate voted Dec 7 in the fourth phase of the elections.
The fifth phase Dec 13, which saw some violence and the killing of an anti-poll protester, witnessed 59 percent of the electorate participating in the exercise.
The sixth and penultimate round of balloting Dec 17 ended peacefully with about 63 percent of the electorate turning out to vote.
And in the last phase of elections Wednesday, the people in Jammu and Kashmir again defied Muslim separatists' boycott call and turned out in large numbers even in Srinagar - the urban hub of the secessionist movement.
At least 52 percent voting was recorded in 21 constituencies that went to polls in the last crucial round of balloting.
The summer capital Srinagar recorded its highest voting percentage of 20 in the last 19 years, officials said.
"I am voting for the first time and my need is a government job. I have no other consideration and I hope my vote helps the candidate who gets me a job after winning the elections," said Showkat Ahmad, 18. He was standing in a queue outside the Dhobighat polling booth in Hazratbal, Srinagar.
The voting was overshadowed by heightened tension between India and Pakistan after last month's Mumbai attacks.
But that didn't deter people from expressing their longing for peace and confidence in democratic process, said Governor N.N. Vohra on the "successful" conclusion of the exercise.
In the border areas of the region as well, people came out in large numbers to vote for "peace" at the time of escalation of tension between two nuclear-armed neighbours.
"We do want strong action against terrorists, but that should not be at our cost," Ujjagar Singh, a resident of the border village of Satrian, told IANS.
The election results will be declared Dec 28. The main contest is between the National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Read more...Its Official now. Gates will remain defense secretary while Hillary Clinton will be new Secretary of state. USA's President-elect Barack Obama announced in Chicago on Monday that Robert Gates would remain as defense secretary and former campaign rival Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state। Other names he desclosed in press conferance in Chicago are that of retired Marine Gen. James Jones as White House national security adviser, former Justice Department official Eric Holder as attorney general and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano as secretary of homeland security. The announcements rounded out the top tier of the team that will advise the incoming chief executive on foreign and national security issues in an era marked by wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and terrorism around the globe. "The time has come for a new beginning, a new dawn of American leadership to overcome the challenges of the 21st century, We will strengthen our capacity to defeat our enemies and support our friends. We will renew old alliances and forge new and enduring partnerships" Obama said as his Cabinet picks stood behind him on a flag-draped stage. Obama said his appointees share his pragmatism about the use of power, and his sense of purpose about America's role as a leader in the world. Gates' presence in Chicago made him a visible symbol of the transition in power from the Bush administration to one headed by Obama. The president-elect, reprising a campaign vow, said he would give the military a new mission as soon as he takes office: "responsibly ending the war in Iraq through a successful transition to Iraqi control." He did not mention his oft-repeated pledge to withdraw most U.S. combat troops within 16 months. He also appointed campaign foreign policy aide Susan Rice as his ambassador to the United Nations. Obama said he would make her a member of the Cabinet, an increase in stature from the Bush era. Obama introduced Clinton first, saying of his former presidential rival, "She possesses an extraordinary intelligence and toughness, and a remarkable work ethic. ... She is an American of tremendous stature who will have my complete confidence, who knows many of the world's leaders, who will command respect in every capital, and who will clearly have the ability to advance our interests around the world." Clinton will have to give up her seat as a senator from New York to join the Obama Cabinet. Her appointment was preceded by lengthy negotiations involving her husband, the former president, whose international business connections posed potential conflicts of interests. The former president also agreed to disclose the donors to the foundation that built his library, as well as contributors to his international foundation. Sen. Clinton said to Obama, in a brief turn at the lectern, "I am proud to join you ... and may God bless you and our great country." Sen. Clinton had scarcely finished speaking when her husband issued a written statement. "She is the right person for the job of helping to restore America's image abroad, end the war in Iraq, advance peace and increase our security, by building a future for our children with more partners and fewer adversaries, one of shared responsibilities and opportunities," he said. Gates said he was "mindful that we are engaged in two wars and face other serious challenges at home and around the world." "I must do my duty as they do theirs," he said of the men and women in uniform in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. "How could I do otherwise?" He said he was "honored to serve President-elect Obama." Gates' appointment fulfilled a campaign promise by Obama, the naming of a Republican to his Cabinet. Holder vowed to revitalize a Justice Department staggered by scandal during the Bush administration, both over the dismissal of federal prosecutors and the administration's program of wiretapping as part of its war against terrorists. Napolitano, like Clinton, must resign her current job. As a border state governor, she has experience with immigration issues, one of the pressing concerns that will confront the new administration. Obama said Jones, his national security adviser, "will bring to the job the dual experience of serving in uniform and as a diplomat. He has commanded a platoon in battle, served as supreme allied commander in a time of war and worked on behalf of peace in the Middle East.
ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS in several states have been announced. Very soon India will go in general elections to elect its 15th Lok Sabha. In the past several elections, voting percentage has been the concern of those who want India to become a better democracy.
Higher voting percentage will indicate greater participation of citizen in the democratic process and thus enhance the strength of democracy. Thus all of us, who feel strongly about democratic traditions, must come forward and ensure greater voter turnout.
One of the problems in the way of higher voter turnout is the problem of immigrant population.
A large number of people work for central and state governments, private sector and thus have to live away from their home town where they are enrolled as voters. Some of them even get enrolled as voters in the towns where they are working but they don’t vote because they don’t feel a sense of belonging as they cannot identify with the politics and problems of that place.
Often state and central government employees working for elections outside their state are unable to vote as their names are not listed in the voters’ list. By enabling such people to vote will hike the voting percentage and subsequently create larger participation of people in the political process.
When Amitabh Bachchan decided to write his blog in Hindi, it evoked mixed reactions everywhere; but not many know that Hindi blogging in recent times has reached such a height that it really doesn't need big names to endorse it.. In FACT there are many Hindi blogs which boast of lots of clicks everyday – many a time, more than a hundred readers feel that they should comment on the post in the blog. So, Hindi blogosphere already boasts of many Amitabh Bachchans. Let’s see how.
I have been writing blogs since September 2002 and made, used and deleted many blogs. For last few time I have been devoting my attention on my Hindi blog dil ek puarana sa.. . Soon I found that in the mean time I left my writing in English. While I have made my other English blogs with some themes and was unsure about theme of my oldest blog, I found it essential to write a new English blog so I am here. This blog will be a general blog in all sense. I wish to devote a great time here now.
So lets Begin.......
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Remember the Batla House case? Everyone raising questions was questioned. People on both the sides were injured. Is it true that Inspector Sharma died at the hospital? It is not about supporting police action in either case; it is about why the logic applied to the Batla House case did not apply to the Mumbai bus case and vice versa.
Every single news channel is saying that Rahul’s killing was not the only option but those who raised such voices in the Batla House case were condemned. Persons like Prof Musheer-ul-Hassan faced questions over integrity because he talked about providing legal assistance to those who were nabbed. The question is clear - why the Delhi Police had faith in the majority and the Mumbai police did not? Why we look at things with a bias?
When Union Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav said that meting out justice in Gujarat would have prevented these terror attacks, he was blamed for playing politics but in the Mumbai case no politically-motivated blames are being levelled. Remember the Gujarat encounters. Banjara is still in jail and paying for those encounters while Modi is enjoying power. Time alone will tell who will reap the benefits arising from the Maharashtra incidents.
The Home Minister of Maharashtra was very furious, promising ‘a bullet for every bullet’. But the same Minister was not furious when North Indians were killed and tortured by the MNS men.
Is it not another instance of Marathi crime versus Bihari crime? It is very clear that things would have been better if those in power had nipped the problem in the bud.There is another snippet of news that stands out these days. Every news channel seems to be happy over using the phrase ‘Hindu terrorist’, as if before the Malegaon incident, no Hindu figured in terrorism. As if those working in Orissa, Assam or Gujarat were all saints. Ask Bashir Badra, the noted Urdu poet. He will tell you there is nothing wrong in Hindu terror as it is just an answer to Muslim terror. He said as much on the Ayodhya case recently. It was reported on the Internet edition of a news magazine, “Rawiwar”. Badra is not wrong. Some people are still invoking the barbaric tit-for-tat mindset. The same mindset was in evidence in Delhi in 1984, Ayodhya in 1992, Mumbai in 1993 and Gujarat in 2002. Sadly there is no termination of such a mindset and problems are growing faster than ever. Courts will decide the fate of each and every person arrested as terror suspect but till then we have time to think. Do we desire Atifs and Pragyas or Amartya Sens and Kalams?
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