Women outnumber men in polling station in Gurez

Badban, Gurez, Nov 17 (UNI) Women in this village outnumbered men in a polling station set up for 503 voters, including 254 women, in the Gurez Assembly constituency which went to polls today along with nine other segments in the first phase.

The literacy rate in this village, on the bank of Krishan Ganga which flows into Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) and merge with Neelam, is very high among the women, said Abdul Gaffar after he came out from a polling booth after casting his vote.

The Returning Officer of the booth Zahoor Ahmad told UNI that out of 503 registered voters, 309 votes were polled till 1230 hrs. Out of these 160 were women voters, he said.

Abdul Gaffar said majority of voters who have yet to cast their votes, have shifted to Bandipora and other places but their names still figures in the voter lists.

The polling staff and security forces deployed outside the booth were relaxed as there was no threat of militants or poll boycott activists.

UNI BAS AE GC1749