J&K panchayat polls 2018: Voting for 4th phase ends; low voter turnout recorded in south Kashmir

Jammu, Nov 27: Polling for the fourth phase of panchayat election began on Tuesday at 2,618 polling stations across Jammu and Kashmir. Voting began at 8 am and will end at 2 pm in 639 polling stations in Kashmir and 1,979 in Jammu division.

Till 12 noon, according to election office, Pulwama district recorded lowest 0.6 percent voter turnout, Anantnag 4.7 percent and Kulgam 9.4 percent.

While as in north Kashmir, Kupwara district recorded 44.3 percecnt, Baramulla 50.6 percent and Bandipora 18 percent. In central Kashmir's Budgam district 37.3 percent polling was recorded.

Till 10 am, Budgam witnessed the highest voter turnout of 29.1 per cent in Beerwah and Waterhail blocks, Baramulla saw 26.8 per cent voter turnout in Bijhama and Wailoo blocks and Kishtwar district registered 26.8 per cent.

Poonch, Kathua and Rajouri districts have recorded 26.1 per cent, 26 per cent and 23.2 per cent voter turnout, respectively. Ramban witnessed 22.8 per cent turnout while Doda registered 21.7 per cent turnout.

However, the voting percentage was abysmally low in Kulgam, Bandipora, Anantnag and Pulwama, with voter turnouts of 3.7 per cent, 3.2 per cent, 2.6 per cent and 0.6 per cent, respectively.

According to the state chief electoral officer Shaleen Kabra, 777 polling stations have been categorised as hypersensitive in fourth phase including 571 in Kashmir and 206 in Jammu.

He said 5470 candidates were in the fray for 339 Sarpanch and 1749 Panch seats in Phase-IV, while 99 Sarpanchs and 969 Panchs have been elected unopposed in this Phase.

In the areas going to polls in fourth Phase, electorate of 4,72,160 will be voting for Sarpanch constituencies, while 3,32,502 will be voting for Panch constituencies.

Kabra said in the first phase of Panchayat Polls held on November 17, 74.1 per cent polling was recorded across the state including 64.5 per cent in Kashmir and 79.4 per cent in Jammu.

In the second phase held on November 20, 71.1 per cent polling was witnessed in the state with an overwhelming 80.4 per cent polling in Jammu and 52.2 per cent in Kashmir.