Ishtiyaq Kar
Srinagar Sep 19 : After South Kashmir, political parties have now ramped up their campaigns in Srinagar, ahead of the second phase of the Legislative Assembly elections, which is set to take place on September 25.
With eight key constituencies in Srinagar district, political leaders are focusing their efforts on securing a decisive victory, as these seats are expected to play a crucial role in determining the formation of the next government.
“These constituencies could prove to be a game-changer in the overall outcome of the elections,” a senior NC leader told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).
Historically, the NC dominated these seats in the 2008 Assembly elections, winning all eight constituencies. However, the political landscape shifted in 2014, when the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) gained significant ground, winning five of these segments.
Srinagar’s eight constituencies together have 774,462 registered voters, comprising 387,778 women and 386,654 men. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has established 932 polling stations across the district to facilitate voting, of which 885 are in urban areas and 47 in rural areas.
The Zadibal constituency has the highest number of registered voters, with 112,864 people (56,408 men and 56,451 women).
As per KINS, it also features the most polling stations in the district, at 143. The Hazratbal constituency follows closely with 112,541 voters, including 56,175 men and 56,366 women.
The Central Shalteng assembly seat has 107,770 registered voters, consisting of 54,185 men, 53,576 women, and nine third-gender voters. The Lal Chowk constituency, with 107,199 voters, includes 53,425 men, 53,773 women, and one transgender voter.
In Habbakadal, there are 95,546 voters, with 47,404 men, 48,133 women, and nine third-gender individuals. The Khanyar constituency has 91,226 registered voters (45,407 men, 45,816 women, and three third-gender voters), while Chanapora has 85,431 voters (42,556 men, 42,874 women, and one transgender voter). Lastly, the Eidgah constituency has 61,885 registered voters, of which 31,094 are men and 30,789 are women.