A Review of DDC Polls Percentage and Militancy in Kashmir the interlinkages. An analysis of the polling percentage during the DDC polls held in November – December in the Kashmir Valley provides clear trends of areas of continued alienation.

1. REVIEW OF DDC POLLS
PERCENTAGE AND
MILITANCY IN
KASHMIR

2. DDC Polls Percentage & Militancy in
Kashmir
 District Development Council (DDC) polls was the first electoral activity held after
transition to the UT and repealing of Article 370 last August.
 The polls were held in eight phases from November 28 to December 19.
 The overall percentage of polling was 51.42 % in all the phases across the Union
Territory.
 Political outcome of the Polls has been on expected lines with the People’s
Alliance for Gupkar Declaration and the Bharatiya Janata Party hugely
leading in their core constituencies – Kashmir and Jammu respectively.
 More on political outcome once sufficient details are available
 General message to Pakistan as well that its narrative and support to
terrorism has not worked.

3. Polling Percentage and Impact of
Militancy in the Valley
 Today we will look at the polling percentage and impact on militancy in the
Valley.
 Well what is the relationship – yes there is as higher percentage of polling
implying mainstreaming of the political space and reduction of alienation.
 Towards this end there is a need for analysis of polling percentage in the
Kashmir Valley for the DDC Polls and compare the same with the Panchayat
Polls in 2018 and the Parliamentary polls in 2019 that is last year.
 Overall all districts in Kashmir saw an increase in the percentage of polling for
the DDC Polls.
 However there is a wide variation in the districts.

4. District Wise Polling Percentage
[Source Daily Excelsior]

5. District Wise Polling Percentage
 Of 13 districts in the Valley 3 are in Central Kashmir – Srinagar,
Badgam and Ganderbal and 5 each in North and South Kashmir
 Central Kashmir saw an increase in polling percentage in Srinagar
by 4 times from the parliamentary polls to 35.3 %, Ganderbal and
Badgam polled over 40 % or roughly double the numbers/
 In North Kashmir polling in Baramulla, Kupwara, Handwara and
Bandipore has been generally high and has remained so over 40 to
50 % in the DDC polls, however Sopore remained an outlier which
polled 23.8 % indicating alienation in a section of the population.

6. South Kashmir
 South Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama,
Shopian and Awantipora have seen an increase in polling
percentage but this continues to be low and varies from
around 10 percent in Awantipora to 25 percent in Kulgam
and Anantnag.
 Pulwama continued to poll very low percentage at 7.6
percent an increase of 6.5 from the Panchayat polls but low
none the less.
 The level of low percentage of polling in Pulwama (7.6),
Awanitpora (9.9) and Shopian (15.4) will remain a concern.

7. Impact on Militancy in Valley
 While only one factor – polling percentage has been examined
here broad conclusions can be drawn in terms of mainstreaming
and degree of alienation which can contribute to militancy in the
Valley.
 Towards this end all districts of South Kashmir but mainly –
Pulwama, (7.6) Awanitpora (9.9) and Shopian (15.4) will remain a
concern.
 Sopore in North Kashmir is another grey area.
 These districts could contribute local terrorists.
 Counter insurgency and winning hearts and minds strategy needs
to focus South Kashmir and Sopore in the future.