J&K municipal polls conclude with overall 35.1% turnout
Turnout for the final phase remained low at 4.2%; counting on Oct 20
SRINAGAR: The fourth and final phase of municipal polls in Jammu and Kashmir, held across 36 wards of Srinagar and Ganderbal districts, ended on Tuesday with 4.2% voter turnout. Total 150 candidates were contesting in 36 wards of Srinagar Municipal Council and Ganderbal Municipal Committee.
Compared to the last three phases which recorded 6.7% voter turnout, the turnout in fourth phase remained low with only 4% of over 2 lakhs eligible voters casting their votes in Srinagar across total 24 wards. On the other hand, 12 wards of Ganderbal district recorded 11.3% polling amongst 10,637 voters. No voting was held at Pattan, Pampore, Pulwama, Khrew, Shopian and Dooru due to single or no nomination with candidates declaring unopposed victory. Overall, the cumulative poll percentage in all the four phases was recorded at 35.1%, said J&K chief electoral officer Shaleen Kabra.
The four-phase municipal polls for 72 municipal committees, six municipal councils and two municipal corporations have a total of 3372 nominations filed for 1145 wards. The counting of votes will be held on October 20. The local body elections took place after 13 years amid threats from militants, boycott calls from separatists and abstention of two main mainstream parties Peoples’ Democratic Party and National Conference. However, the polling remained peaceful in all the four phases in Kashmir.
The fourth phase witnessed high drama with separatist leaders, under the banner of the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), had called for a shutdown across the polling areas. Shops, business establishments remained closed with thin traffic and decelerated internet services in Srinagar
and Ganderbal districts.
EARLY HOUR VOTING, RELIEF FOR POLICE
Locals said they preferred to cast their vote in the early hours when nobody could see them going towards the polling station. “Some people exercised their right in a polling booth located inside a private school, while majority boycotted the polls,’’ said Mohammad Rafiq of Rainawari in the old city where polling was held today.
A sigh of relief was heaved by the police with conclusion of elections. “Final phase of urban and local body election concluded in valley peacefully. We thank all the citizens for helping us in keeping their neighbourhood peaceful,’’ stated J&K police via a social media post.
The decision of going ahead with the polls is being seen as part of the Centre’s efforts to turn the tide in state where local militant recruitment and violence have escalated since Burhan Wani’s killing in July 2016. After the completion of local body polls, the focus now will be now holding the panchayat polls.