The Nagrota Assembly constituency recorded an impressive 75.08% voter turnout in today’s by-election conducted peacefully across all 150 polling stations. The Election Commission confirmed this high participation rate, underscoring a strong democratic engagement.
The fate of ten candidates, including BJP’s Devyani Rana, NC’s Shamim Begum, JKNPP-I’s Harshdev Singh, and Independent Anil Sharma, now rests in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Officials will conduct the counting of votes on November 14.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sanjeev Verma reported to Daily Excelsior, stating that the by-poll witnessed “completely peaceful and smooth polling.” Verma personally monitored several stations and praised the setup, noting voter satisfaction with facilities such as wheelchairs, drinking water, and effective queue management.
Election officials confirmed minimal technical disruptions, indicating that only one or two EVMs needed replacements, with polling resuming without any significant interruptions.
The voter turnout of 75.08% aligns closely with the previous Assembly election figure of 77.66% recorded in 2024. Last year’s victor, BJP’s Devender Singh Rana, amassed 48,113 votes while NC’s Joginder Singh garnered 17,641 votes, with Congress candidate Balbir Singh trailing with just 5,979 votes. This time, a comparable number of votes are expected, with the electorate slightly adjusted to around 98,000 voters.
Security remains a top priority, with comprehensive arrangements deployed throughout sensitive areas to ensure smooth operations. Paramilitary and police personnel patrolled, while Election Commission Observers—including General, Police, and Expenditure observers—inspected various booths to maintain order.
After polling closed at 6 PM, officials transported the EVMs to secured strong rooms under continuous surveillance until counting day.
In a significant innovation this election, presiding officers utilized the ‘Presiding Officer App’ within the ECI’s Integrated ECTNet platform. This advancement allowed for rapid booth-wise data uploads, reducing potential delays and minimizing human error in vote reporting.
The need for this by-poll arose due to the sudden death of BJP stalwart Devender Singh Rana, who passed away shortly after his 2024 victory. The party nominated his daughter, Devyani Rana, an Economics graduate from the University of California, who aligned her campaign with a focus on “professional and inclusive development.”
Meanwhile, NC’s Shamim Begum leveraged her grassroots connections as a sitting DDC member, while Harshdev Singh, entering the race for the first time, positioned himself as an “alternative voice.” Independent candidate Anil Sharma relied on his local support and commitment to welfare initiatives.
Long queues formed at several polling locations after 9 AM, as favorable weather enticed voters to participate. At the Kol Kandoli polling station, voters expressed their intention to continue development in Nagrota.
This by-poll unfolds in a political landscape where Nagrota has oscillated between BJP and NC victories over the past five Assembly elections since 1996. The BJP triumphed in 2002, 2008, and 2024, while NC claimed victories in 1996 and 2014. Notably, Congress abstained from fielding a candidate this time, avoiding NC’s campaign despite alliances at the union territory level.
The Nagrota and Budgam by-polls aim to fill two vacancies in the 90-member Jammu & Kashmir Assembly, which currently comprises 88 sitting MLAs. These vacancies appeared due to the death of Devender Singh Rana and the resignation of former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who vacated Budgam after winning in Ganderbal.
