Srinagar/Anantnag, May 25 (Reporter) Polling of votes in the Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary Constituency picked up pace as people in large numbers were queuing up to cast their ballots on Saturday after an estimated 35.61 percent of 18.36 lakh voters exercised their franchise till 1 pm. Braving the extreme hot weather conditions, the voters including first timers, were seen queuing up enthusiastically outside their respective polling booths in their respective segments to exercise their franchise. Among the voters Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti who is also a contestant exercised her vote at a polling booth at Bijbehara in Anantnag constituency. The highest 52.74 percent votes were polled at Rajouri segment followed by 47.31 percent in Nowshera, 46.60 percent in Thanna Mandi and 46.52 percent in Poonch Haveli in Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha Constituency till 1 pm, an official spokesman said. The lowest voter turnout of 21.19 percent was recorded at Anantnag followed by 21.27 percent at Kulgam segment. Similarly Anantnag West recorded 24.20 percent, Budhal 39.82 percent , D H Pora 35.36 percent, Devsar 28.50 percent, Dooru 31.89 percent, Kokernag 34.00 percent, 42.06 percent at Mendhar, Pahalgam 39.78 percent, Shangus 27.08 percent, Srigufawara 27 percent, Surankot 40.72 percent and Zainapora 27.79 percent during the first six hours. The voting in 2,338 polling stations across the Anantnag- Rajouri Parliamentary Constituency began at 7 am and will end at 6 pm. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections is the first major polls in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. As many as 20 candidates are contesting from the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency and among them the prominent are Peoples Democratic Party President Mahbooba Mufti, National Conference influential Gujjar leader Main Alta, Apni Party’s Zafar Manhas and Democratic Progress Azad Party Mohammad Saleem. The BJP has not fielded any candidate from the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, saying the party was in no hurry to see the lotus bloom in Kashmir, the party has given tacit support to Apni Party’s Manhas, who is a Pahari. The Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency comprises 18 assembly segments, spanning across the Kashmir and Jammu regions. The constituency is divided into 11 segments in Shopian, Kulgam, and Anantnag districts of South Kashmir, and 7 segments in Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu, bridging the Pir Panjal range. Before 2019, South Kashmir formed a single parliamentary constituency, while Rajouri and Poonch districts were part of the Jammu Lok Sabha seat. However, following delimitation, the Anantnag-Rajouri seat was created, combining 7 assembly segments from Jammu division and 11 from Kashmir division...////...