Jammu Kashmir Bypolls: Budgam, Nagrota Brace for Crucial Vote Count Today

SRINAGAR: Counting of votes for the Budgam and Nagrota Assembly constituencies will be held today, with political parties and voters anxiously awaiting the results.

The Election Commission of India has put in place comprehensive arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of the counting process for both seats, where polling was held on November 11.

Counting will begin at 8 am with postal ballots, followed by the opening of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) at 8:30 am.

Returning Officer for Budgam, Afroza Bano, said 15 rounds of counting will be conducted for the constituency. However, Nagrota Returning Officer Rajesh Kumar declined to share details, stating that he was occupied.

A total of 27 candidates are contesting from the two constituencies, previously won by the National Conference and the BJP, respectively.

Field inputs indicate a close contest in Budgam, where the result is expected to be decided by a narrow margin between the National Conference’s Aga Mehmood and the PDP’s Muntazir Mehdi. In Nagrota, BJP candidate Devyani is reported to have an advantage in the race to succeed her late father, Devinder Singh Rana.

According to the Election Commission of India, Budgam recorded a voter turnout of 50.01 percent, while the Nagrota constituency registered 74.82 percent. (KNO)