An official in the SEC said that the fifth phase of Jammu and Kashmir’s District Development Council (DDC) elections was held on Thursday which has registered over 51 percent voter turnout.

299 candidates in fray in J&K DDC election

A total of 299 candidates had filed their nominations to contest the J&K DDC elections. For the DDC polls, over eight lakh voters were eligible to cast their votes. Of the total 125 sarpanch vacancies, 30 have been elected unopposed.

“There are 125 sarpanch vacancies which have been notified in the fifth phase and out of these 30 have been elected unopposed. There shall be a contest in 58 constituencies and 175 candidates, including 51 women, are in the fray,” State Election Commissioner (SEC) K K Sharma had said prior to the elections.

As per the SEC, 1,412 panch vacancies were notified in this phase and 218 constituencies were notified for the elections with 527 candidates.

As per the state election commission, 8,27,519 electors were eligible to cast their votes which includes 4,33,285 males and 3,94,234 females. While 4,39,529 voters are in the Jammu division, 3,87,990 are in the Kashmir division.

Around 2,104 polling stations had been set up for the fifth phase of the District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir. 1,193 polling stations had been identified as hypersensitive, 472 sensitive, and 439 had been categorized as normal.

Voter turnouts in various places in J&K

Ganderbal district recorded the highest of 56.40 percent polling in the Valley, while Poonch district of Jammu region polled the highest of 71.62 percent votes across J-K.

State Election Commissioner (SEC) K K Sharma stated that 51.20 percent voter turnout was recorded across 37 seats in the fifth phase of DDC elections that went peacefully in the Union Territory. He said that a large number of people came out to cast their votes during this phase of the election.

The SEC said that polling was peaceful and people participated enthusiastically despite severe cold conditions in Kashmir division and some hilly areas of Jammu division. K K Sharma said, “Voting has been peaceful in the poll going 37 constituencies of DDC, including 17 in Kashmir division and 20 in Jammu division that witnessed 51.20 percent of polling.”

The voting was held in 2,104 polling stations, including 1,190 in Kashmir division and 914 in Jammu division which recorded an average voter turnout of 66.67 percent, with Poonch district recording 71.62 percent polling, Doda district 70.95 percent and Rajouri district 70.83 percent.

“The lowest turnout in Jammu division was in Jammu district which recorded 60.24 percent votes,” said the official.

Besides, Kashmir division recorded 33.57 percent voter turnout with Bandipora district recording the highest polling at 56.40 percent followed by Kupwara district 52.35 percent and Budgam 45.65 percent. In Kashmir Division the polling percentage recorded in Ganderbal was 37.47, Baramulla 44.31, Anantnag 21.89, Kulgam 26.94, Pulwama 8.12 and Shopian 5.52.

Similarly, in the Jammu division, 64.71 percent polling was recorded in Samba, 69.47 percent in Udhampur, 68.27 percent in Kishtwar, 67.11 percent in Ramban, 69.15 percent in Reasi, and 62.36 percent in Kathua. Polling was also held for panch and sarpanch vacancies notified in the fifth phase.

(Source: PTI, ANI)