More than 59 per cent of the electorate voted in the once militancy-hit Baramulla Lok Sabha seat in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, the Union territory's Chief Electoral Officer P K Pole said in Srinagar.
"The Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency witnessed a record voter turnout since parliamentary polls were first held here in 1967," Pole told reporters at the end of polling.
The figures were likely to undergo an upward revision as voters still awaited their turn at some polling stations after the stipulated 6 pm deadline, the election official added.
The previous highest voter turnout in the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency was in 1984 at 58.90 per cent.
This year, it was 59 per cent, Pole said.
Long lines of voters, especially women and first-time voters dressed in traditional outfits, were seen queuing at their nearest polling stations to participate in the festival of democracy.
According to data provided by the Election Commission of India, voting began somewhat slowly, with 7.6 per cent reported till 9 am.
Experts had forecast that, like the Srinagar voter turnout, Baramulla constituency was also about to break its previous record.
However, as the day progressed, the turnout increased dramatically, nearly tripling by 11 am to 21.51 per cent, by 1 pm to 34.6 per cent and by 3 pm to 44.90 per cent.
Till 5 pm, the turnout had already crossed its previous best of 50 per cent, registering 54.57 per cent before settling down at 59 per cent by the end of day, said officials.
Key contenders in the race include National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah, People's Conference President Sajad Gani Lone, and incarcerated Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) leader Sheikh Abdul Rashid, also known as ‘Engineer’ Rashid.
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