J&K panchayat elections: Kashmir region records 34 per cent, Jammu 59 per cent till noon

Srinagar, Nov 24: Kashmir region recorded 34 per cent polling while Jammu registered 59 per cent till noon in the third phase of the Jammu and Kashmir panchayat elections. The elections took place in 10 blocks each in Kashmir and Ladakh and 19 blocks of Jammu.

The polling held at 2773 polling stations including 918 in Kashmir division and 1855 in Jammu division from 8 am and ended at 2 pm. Total 727 polling stations have been categorised as hypersensitive, including 493 in Kashmir division and 234 in Jammu division.

Poonch district in Jammu region recorded the highest polling of 67 per cent, while Ganderbal district in central Kashmir recorded the lowest at 9.2 per cent, officials told PTI.

According to reports, 96 sarpanchs and 1,437 panchs have been elected unopposed in this phase. The officials told reporters that an electorate of 4,23,592 are eligible for voting for sarpanch constituencies while 2,70,668 for panch constituencies.

An estimated 71.1 per cent of voters exercised their franchise on Tuesday in the second phase of panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir which concluded peacefully amid tight security arrangements, officials said.

In the first phase of panchayat polls on November 17, 74.1 per cent polling was recorded across the state, with 64.5 per cent in Kashmir division and 79.5 per cent in Jammu division.

(With PTI inputs)