STATE Election Commissioner (SEC) K K Sharma informed on Friday that the third phase of District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir recorded 50.53 per cent voter turnout. The SEC said that a large number of people came out to cast their votes in the third phase of DDC polls. Long queues were seen right from the morning despite severe cold conditions in the Kashmir division and in the hilly areas of Jammu division.

 

Polling was largely peaceful in the 33 constituencies of DDC, including 16 in Kashmir division and 17 in Jammu division. A total of 3,72,643 voters (including 1,99,544 males and 1,73,099 females) out of 7,37,648 voters exercised their franchise to choose their representatives in their respective councils, the SEC said.

 

He informed that out of those who voted, 1,14,756 were from Kashmir division and 2,57,887 from Jammu division. He also said that polling was held on 2,046 polling stations, including 1,254 in Kashmir division and 792 in Jammu division.

 

The SEC further informed that Jammu division recorded an average voter turnout of 68.88 per cent with Reasi district recording the highest percentage of 75.20 per cent, followed by Rajouri district at 72.81 per cent. The lowest turnout in Jammu division was seen in Doda district which recorded 59.51 per cent polling. The Kashmir division recorded an average turnout of 31.61 pc. Kulgam district recorded the highest polling at 64.45 pc, followed by Bandipora at 56.73 pc and Budgam at 50.18 pc.

 

 

MILITANTS on Friday shot at and injured a candidate for the District Development Council (DDC) elections in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said. Aneesul Islam Ganaie was shot at by the militants in Kokernag area of Anantnag district around noon, a police official said. He said Ganaie was rushed to a hospital. Further details of the incident are awaited.