22 L will be 1st time voters
Amid the political uproar over an expected addition of 25 lakh new voters in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), the administration said on Thursday that the figure includes over 22 lakh first-time voters.
On Wednesday, J&K Chief Electoral Officer Hirdesh Kumar had said that around 25 lakh new voters are expected to be enrolled, with those “ordinarily” residing in J&K and having achieved the age of 18 years or above as on October 1 to be included.
A special summary revision of electoral rolls is being held for the first time in J&K after abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, a precursor to long-awaited elections in the state.
The last special summary revision of electoral rolls was held with reference to January 1, 2019 as the qualifying date. So those who have attained 18 years of age after January 1, 2019 are expected to be registered during this revision, along with those who may have been left out earlier.
“Based on the population projections by the Registrar General of India, the projected 18+ population in J&K as on July 1, 2022 is expected to be 98.96 lakh, whereas the registered electors as on date are over 76 lakh.
There is a gap of 22,93,603. It is this gap which was used to convey the tentative expectation from the special summary revision,” government sources said.
