Filing of nominations for Baramulla Lok Sabha seat in J-K started on Friday

Baramulla (J-K), Apr 26 (PTI) The filing of nomination papers for Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla Lok Sabha seat commenced on Friday with the issuance of notification for the fifth phase of parliamentary polls.
     Voting for the Baramulla constituency will take place on May 20 from 7 am to 6 pm, an official said.
     Returning Officer (RO) of the Baramulla parliamentary constituency, Minga Sherpa, who is also the Baramulla deputy commissioner, issued the election notification for the parliamentary seat which comprises 18 assembly constituencies of Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora and Budgam districts.
     Addressing a press conference here, Sherpa said according to the notification, the nomination papers can be submitted by the contesting candidates before May 3, which is the last date for submitting the nominations.
     He said the scrutiny of the nomination papers will be held on May 4 at the deputy commissioner's office in Baramulla.
     The candidates have the option to withdraw their candidature before May 6.
     Sherpa said after the delimitation process, Baramulla parliamentary constituency consists of all the assembly segments of three districts of Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora and two assembly segments -- Beerwah and Budgam -- of the Budgam district.
     He said 17,28,501 registered voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat, while a total of 2,103 polling stations have been established in this parliamentary constituency.
     Sherpa said there are many areas in the parliamentary constituency which are cut off due to snowfall. They include Gurez, Karnah and Tangdhar. He said special arrangements have been made for this by the deputy commissioners of Bandipora and Kupwara districts.
     "If the connectivity with these areas is cut off due to the closure of Sadhna Pass and Razdan Pass, then arrangements have also been made for the counting of votes there only. Apart from this, the Indian Air Force helicopters can take the polling party there. That option has also been kept," he said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)