The 3rd phase of District Development Council elections on Friday recorded a turnout of 50.33 percent and was incident free, officials said.
State Election Commissioner K.K. Sharma said that the 3rd phase of District Development Council elections have been conducted successfully. He said that braving chill a large number of people have come out to cast their votes.
“Long queues were seen right from morning despite severe cold conditions in Kashmir Division and hilly areas of Jammu Division,” Sharma said. “Polling has been by-and-large peaceful in 33 constituencies of DDC including 16 in Kashmir division and 17 in Jammu division.”
The SEC said that a total number of 372643 voters (including 199544 males and 173099 females) out of 737648 voted to choose their representatives in their respective councils.
He informed that out of those who voted, 114756 were from Kashmir division and 257887 were from Jammu division. He also informed that polling was held on 2046 polling stations including 1254 from Kashmir division and 792 from Jammu division.
Sharma further said that Jammu division recorded an average voter turnout of 68.88% with Reasi District recording the highest percentage of 75.20% followed by Rajouri district with 72.81%. The lowest turnout in Jammu division was in Doda district which recorded 59.51%.
The Kashmir Division, he said, recorded an average turnout of 31.61%. He said that Kulgam district in southern Kashmir recorded highest polling at 64.45 % followed by Bandipora District at 56.73% and Budgam with 50.18% polling in the third phase of elections.
The SEC informed that in Kashmir Division, the polling percentage recorded in Kupwara was 46.25%, Baramulla 30.94%, Ganderbal 24.69%, Shopian 22.68%, Anantnag 21.64%, and Pulwama 10.87%.
Similarly, in Jammu division, he said, poll percentage of 72.18% was recorded in Poonch, 70.44% in Jammu, 70.35% in Kishtwar, 70.15% in Samba 64.79% in Ramban and 62.18% in Kathua. Further, he said that counting of votes for Sarpanch and Panch Constituencies which went to poll in the third phase is being conducted immediately after the close of poll and results shall be declared then and there only.
Police said that day passed off peacefully. “No untoward or any law and order incident took place during the day in poll bound areas,” police said.