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A '''by-election''' was held in the Lok Sabha constituency of [[Srinagar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Srinagar]] on 9 April 2017 with repolling in 38 polling on 13 April. It was triggered by the resignation of [[Tariq Hameed Karra]] after his defection from [[Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party]] to the [[Indian National Congress]].<ref name=winner/>

21 March was the final date for candidates to nominate. Voting took place between 7am and 5pm.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/by-election-to-srinagar-lok-sabha-constituency-on-april-9/story-94H47DgG7chTXWMWBzcyFO.html|title=By-election to Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency on April 9|date=14 March 2017|publisher=}}</ref>

==Candidates==
*[[Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party]] (PDP): The party selected Nazir Ahmad Khan, a former Congress leader, to defend the seat.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/pdp-and-bjp-to-field-separate-candidates-in-kashmir-bypolls/articleshow/57639649.cms|title=PDP and BJP to field separate candidates in Kashmir bypolls|publisher= Economic Times}}</ref>
* [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference]] - [[Farooq Abdullah]] stood as the candidate for the party.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://zeenews.india.com/jammu-and-kashmir/farooq-abdullah-others-file-nominations-for-bypolls_1988336.html|title=Farooq Abdullah and others file nomination for Srinagar bypolls|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=Zee News|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|agency=PTI}}</ref>

Other party candidates included Sajad Reshi of Rashtriya Samajwadi Party, Chetan Sharma of [[Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha]] and Bikram Singh of Jammu and Kashmir Liberal Democratic Party. The independent candidates were Sajjad Hussain Beigh, Ghulam Hassan Dar, Farooq Ahmad Dar and Mehraj Khurshid Malik.<ref name=Excelsior>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/9-fray-srinagar-seat/|title=9 in fray for Srinagar seat|publisher= Daily Excelsior}}</ref>

Some leaders of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] stated in mid-March that it will stand against its government coalition partner the PDP.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/mehboobas-brother-to-make-debut-contest-ls-by-election/article17463920.ece|title=Mehbooba's brother to make debut, contest LS by-election|first=Peerzada|last=Ashiq|publisher=}}</ref> However only the PDP filed nominations.<ref name=Excelsior/> [[Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party]] stated that it had decided to boycott the election, claiming the security cover to its senior leaders was withdrawn.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-npp-to-boycott-bypolls-to-srinagar-anantnag-seats-bhim-singh-2360348|title=NPP to boycott bypolls to Srinagar, Anantnag seats: Bhim Singh|agency=PTI|work=Daily News and Analysis}}</ref> The Kashmiri separatists meanwhile called upon the voters to boycott the poll.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/kashmiri-separatists-call-for-bypoll-boycott-4572499/|title=Kashmiri separatists call for bypoll boycott|first=Mir|last=Ehsan|publisher=The Indian Express}}</ref>

==Results==

A [[voter turnout]] of 7.14%, the lowest in 30 years, was recorded amidst violent protests and attacks on polling stations by mobs during the elections on 9 April.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/kashmiri-separatists-call-for-bypoll-boycott-4572499/|title=Srinagar Lok Sabha bypoll: Lowest turnout in 3 decades with 7.14 per cent voting, 8 killed in clashes|first=Bijin|last=Jose|publisher=India Today}}</ref> Repoll at 38 polling stations was ordered by the [[Election Commission of India]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news18.com/news/india/election-commission-orders-repoll-at-38-polling-stations-in-srinagar-constituency-1371079.html|title=EC Orders Repoll at 38 Polling Stations in Srinagar Constituency|publisher=News 18}}</ref> A 2% voter turnout was recorded in areas where repolling was held on 13 April, bringing the turnout to 7.13%.<ref name=OnlyHT>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/srinagar-by-election-only-2-02-voter-turnout-recorded-after-repolling-in-kashmir/story-3lCTvA4P1sYB4eXo4EeRjM.html|title=Srinagar bypoll: Only 2% voter turnout recorded after repolling in Kashmir|agency=PTI|publisher=Hindustan Times}}</ref> Farooq Abdullah was declared the winner on the next day with over 10,700 votes over his nearest rival Nazir Ahmad Khan.<ref name=winner>{{cite web|url=http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/srinagar-by-polls-2-voters-turned-up-for-re-polling-counting-today-1681640|title=Srinagar By-Election: Farooq Abdullah Beats PDP Candidate In Key Contest|first=Sheikh|last=Zaffar Iqbal|publisher=NDTV}}</ref>

'''Declared results''':<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.india.com/news/india/jammu-and-kashmir-srinagar-bye-election-results-2017-live-news-updates-2030764/|title=Jammu and Kashmir-Srinagar Bye-election Results 2017: Farooq Abdullah wins battle of prestige in Jammu and Kashmir|first=Aadil Ikram|last=Zaki Iqbal|publisher=Essel Group}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right;"
|-
! scope="col" | Colour
! scope="col" | Party
! scope="col" | Candidate
! scope="col" | No. of votes
! scope="col" | Percentage of votes
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Jammu & Kashmir National Conference}}
| [[Farooq Abdullah]]
| 48,555
| 54.02%
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party}}
| Nazir Ahmad Khan
| 37,779
| 42.03%
|-
| {{Party name with colour|None of the above}}
| —
| 931
| 1.04%
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}}
| Farooq Ahmad Dar
| 630
| 0.70%
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}}
| Mehraj Khurshid Malik
| 576
| 0.64%
|-
|-
|
| All Jammu & Kashmir Liberal Democratic Party
| Bikram Singh
| 496
| 0.55%
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}}
| Mirza Sajjad Hussain Beigh
| 364
| 0.40%
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha}}
| Chetan Sharma
| 364
| 0.22%
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}}
| Ghullam Hassan Dar
| 197
| 0.22%
|-
|
| Rashtriya Samajwadi Party (Secular)
| Sajad Reshi
| 155
| 0.17%
|-
! scope="col" | No. of eligible voters
! scope="col" | No. of votes cast
! scope="col" | No. of Valid votes
! scope="col" | Percentage of votes valid
! scope="col" | Turnout
|-
|1,261,862
|89,881
|89,881
|100%
|7.13%
|}

==Violence and protests==

Violence broke out during the elections on 9 April with over 200 violent incidents reported, concentrated mostly in [[Budgam district]] in addition to attacks on polling stations with poll staff abandoning about 70% of election stations. Protesters tried to enforce a boycott that had been called by the separatists. 8 people were killed in clashes between mobs and security forces.<ref>{{cite web|title=8 killed in Kashmir bypoll violence, Srinagar registers poor voter turnout of 7.14%|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bypolls-in-8-states-triggers-violence-in-2-clashes-in-srinagar-kill-7-as-voter-turnout-hits-less-than-10/story-V5tp2N7ISX4VoEIbsyBtQI.html|publisher=Hindustan Times}}</ref> Videos of Kashmiri youths beating up CRPF troops who did not retaliate, as well as videos of purported excesses by Indian troops created controversies.<ref>{{cite web|title=Youths beating jawans video: J&K DGP lauds CRPF men's restraint|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/crpf-youths-beating-jawans-video-jk-dgp-praises-crpfs-restraint/article18014728.ece|work=The Hindu}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Two fresh videos of 'rights violations' by security forces go viral in Kashmir|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/two-fresh-videos-of-rights-violations-by-security-forces-go-viral-in-kashmir/story-oalacv511OKlFRwF12moYK.html|publisher=Hindustan Times}}</ref> The repolling on 13 April was relatively peaceful with only one incident of stone-throwing reported, however with a very low voter turnout.<ref name=OnlyHT/>

The by-poll for the [[Anantnag (Lok Sabha constituency)|Lok Sabha seat of Anantnag]] which was originally scheduled for 12 April was also postponed to 25 May due to the violence in the Srinagar by-poll.<ref>{{cite web|title=EC defers Anantnag Lok Sabha bypoll to May 25 after Srinagar violence|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/election-commission-defers-anantnag-lok-sabha-bypoll-to-may-25-after-srinagar-violence/story-bfwOScGMpzaID0pcVqYryH.html|publisher=Hindustan Times}}</ref> The election to the Anantnag seat was later cancelled with the Election Commission citing security problems.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/election-commission-cancels-anantnag-lok-sabha-by-poll-in-jammu-and-kashmir-citing-law-and-order-1688348|title=Election Commission Cancels Anantnag Lok Sabha By-Poll In Jammu And Kashmir Over Law And Order|publisher=NDTV}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[Elections in Jammu and Kashmir]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Jammu and Kashmir elections}}

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[[Category:2017 elections in India]]
[[Category:April 2017 events in Asia]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha by-elections]]
[[Category:Elections in Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:2010s in Jammu and Kashmir]]

2017 Srinagar by-election - Revision history

MetaBOT at 19:22, 8 July 2023