DDC polls: Fourth phase voting in Jammu and Kashmir underway

Jammu, Dec 07: Voting for the fourth phase of District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir is underway on Monday. According to reports, more than seven lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes.

It is reportedly said that the voting will take place between 7 am and 2 pm. A total of 34 constituencies are going to polls in the union territory today -- 17 each in Kashmir and Jammu divisions.

Voting for panchayat bypolls in 50 vacant sarpanch seats and 216 vacant panch seats in the 34 DDC constituencies is also being held simultaneously.

The DDC polls are the first big political exercise that has been undertaken in Jammu and Kashmir since the reorganisation of the erstwhile state last year.

In the first three phases of the elections held on November 28, December 1 and December 4, a voter turnout of 51.76 per cent, 48.62 per cent and 50.53 per cent was recorded, respectively.

A total 280 DDC constituencies are due to go to polls in the eight-phase elections.

Meanwhile, of the 17 constituencies that have gone to vote in Kashmir division today, a total of 138 candidates are contesting. Of these, 48 are women. In Jammu division, 34 women are among 111 candidates who are in the fray.

"There were 123 sarpanch vacancies notified in the 4th phase and out of these, 45 have got filled unopposed. There shall be a contest in 50 constituencies and 137 candidates, including 47 women, are in the fray," an official spokesman was quoted as saying.