J&K panchayat polls: 71 % voting in second phase
Udhampur witnesses highest polling at 83.9% while mere 1% voters turn up at Kashmir’s Anantnag
JAMMU/SRINAGAR: The 14 districts of Jammu and Kashmir that went to the second phase polling of panchayat elections on Tuesday, witnessed an overall turnout of 71%.
According to J&K chief electoral officer Shaleen Kabra, an overwhelming 80.4% polling was witnessed in Jammu division and 52.2% in Kashmir division.
Sharing district-wise details, Kabra said that the highest voting of 83.9% was registered in Udhampur in Jammu division while 69.7% turnout was witnessed in the Valley’s Kupwara district. Among the lowest stood Anantnag with mere 1% voters exercising their franchise.
In the first phase of panchayat polls held on 17 November 2018, 74.1% polling was recorded across the State with 64.5% in Kashmir division and 79.5% in Jammu division. Third phase of polling will be held on November 24.
“No untoward incident was reported from any part of Jammu province,” an official said. However, a shutdown was observed in the poll bound areas in Kashmir on the call of separatist Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL). The separatist had called for complete poll boycott of these elections. The nine-phased Panchayat elections are being held in the restive state after a gap of seven years.
The Valley had recorded just 4 percent polling in recently concluded local body polls. The National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party, the two main parties in J&K, have boycotted the elections over the “lack of clarity” surrounding the Centre’s stand on legal challenges in the Supreme Court to the state’s special status.
Militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen had in January warned former panchayat members against contesting the elections. The group’s operational commander, Riyaz Naikoo, had threatened to pour acid in the eyes of anyone who dared to contest the polls. The militants had also warned people against casting their votes. More than half a dozen panchayat houses were either damaged or set on fire by unidentified persons after dates for the polls were announced in September. Sixteen sarpanches and panchs have been killed by militants in the last four years, which security officials said was one of reasons why candidates were not campaigning openly.