The Nagrota Assembly constituency recorded an impressive 75.08% voter turnout during today’s by-election. Voting proceeded peacefully across all 150 polling stations, according to the Election Commission.
Ten candidates, including BJP’s Devyani Rana, NC’s Shamim Begum, JKNPP-I’s Harshdev Singh, and Independent Anil Sharma, await the results. The counting of votes will occur on November 14.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sanjeev Verma praised the process, stating, “We witnessed completely peaceful and smooth polling.” He toured several polling stations and expressed satisfaction with facilities such as wheelchairs, drinking water, and queue management provided for voters.
Officials confirmed that a couple of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) faced technical issues but polling resumed immediately without any disruption.
The turnout this time is notably close to the 2024 Assembly election figure, which recorded a 77.66% voter turnout. In 2024, BJP’s Devender Singh Rana won with 48,113 votes, while NC’s Joginder Singh secured 17,641 votes. The Congress candidate, Balbir Singh, amassed only 5,979 votes, with remaining candidates polling in the hundreds. A total of 74,083 votes were cast in 2024.
Election officials indicated a similar number of votes cast in this by-election, which had around 98,000 registered voters.
Security measures were robust, with a heavy deployment of paramilitary and police personnel in sensitive zones. Observers from the Election Commission, including general, police, and expenditure observers, visited multiple booths to ensure compliance. Senior officials monitored special polling stations.
After polls closed at 6 PM, election officials securely transferred EVMs to designated strong rooms. The machines will remain under constant surveillance until the counting day.
In a technological advance, presiding officers used the ‘Presiding Officer App’ under the ECI’s Integrated ECTNet platform to upload booth-wise turnout data in real-time. This innovation significantly reduces delays and minimizes human error.
The by-election took place following the unfortunate passing of BJP stalwart Devender Singh Rana, just days after his victory in the 2024 Assembly election. The BJP nominated his daughter, Devyani Rana, an Economics graduate from the University of California, who campaigned for “professional and inclusive development.”
NC’s Shamim Begum, a current DDC member, relied heavily on her grassroots connections and organizational strength. Former minister Harshdev Singh contested in Nagrota for the first time, positioning himself as an “alternative voice,” while Independent candidate Anil Sharma, a former Sarpanch, sought local support through welfare propositions.
Voters faced long queues at various booths post-9 AM, spurred by sunny weather that prompted significant turnout. Many voters at Kol Kandoli polling station stated they aimed to “continue the pace of development in Nagrota.”
The political landscape in Nagrota presents an alternating trend between BJP and NC over the past five elections since 1996, with BJP winning in 2002, 2008, and 2024, while NC triumphed in 1996 and 2014. This year, the Congress did not field a candidate, remaining absent from NC’s campaign despite being alliance partners at the Union Territory level.
The Nagrota by-election, along with a by-poll in Budgam, aims to fill vacancies in the 90-member J&K Assembly, which currently has 88 sitting MLAs. The vacancies arose due to the death of Devender Singh Rana and the resignation of former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who vacated Budgam after winning in Ganderbal.
