J&K municipal body poll results to be declared today

COUNTDOWN BEGINS: INSTRUCTIONS

JAMMU: The fate of 3,000 candidates who contested for the urban local body election will be decided by the day’s end as the counting of votes for the 52 civic bodies, polling for which was held in four phases earlier this month, will be done today.

“The counting updates and results shall be declared by the returning officers from the joint control rooms established at the venue of counting at the respective district headquarters,” said Jammu and Kashmir chief electoral officer (CEO) Shaleen Kabra.

In Jammu, the counting will be done at the Government Polytechnic college, he said.

A total of 3,372 nominations were filed for 1,145 wards and the voting was held on October 8,10, 13 and 16, respectively.

The fate of 3,000 candidates will be decided by the end of the day.

Held after a gap of 13 years in the state, the municipal elections Only counting supervisors, counting assistants, observers, micro-observers, persons authorised by CEO, authorised public servants, candidates, their election agents and counting agents will be allowed inside the counting hall.

Officers are instructed to ensure that no unauthorised person is present in the counting hall, before or during the counting. No counting agent shall be admitted into the place fixed

were conducted in four phases, covering 79 municipal bodies with an electorate of about 17 lakh electors.

The polling was held amid tight security arrangements in four phases starting October 8 and ending on October 16. While, Jammu region witessed a healthy turnout, Kashmir saw an abysmally low turnout amid terror threats and boycott by two major parties. for counting, unless he/she has delivered to the returning officers the second copy of his appointment letter, after duly completing and signing the declaration contained therein and also the photo identity card issued by the returning officers.

The election agents of the candidates are also required to produce the attested duplicate copy of their appointment letters.

While National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) boycotted the civic elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress and independents were in for a triangular contest.

Out of 598 wards in Kashmir, 231 candudates were elected unopposed, while there are no candidates on 181 wards.

The overall voting percentage for these polls in the state stood at 35.1 per cent.