DDC poll candidate shot at during the third phase
J&K leaders condemn attack on Apni Party candidate; over 43% polling till 1pm, with Poonch district recording the highest voting percentage
SRINAGAR: Unidentified gunmen shot at an Apni Party leader, contesting the district development council polls, in South Kashmir’s Kokernag area, officials said on Friday. Voting for the third phase of the polls was held on Friday.
The leader was identified of Anees ul Islam of the Altaf Bukhari-led Apni Party.
According to officials, Anees was attacked near Sagam in Kokernag. He has been admitted to a hospital, while police and army personnel are conducting investigations at the site of the attack, the officials said.
The leader’s condition is reported to be stable.
Condemning the attack, Bukhari said the attack is a manifestation of frustration among forces inimical to peace and the rising popularity of Apni Party among the people. “The government should take serious cognizance of this incident and take all necessary security measures in this regard,” he said.
Former J&K chief minister and National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah tweeted, “Disturbing reports coming in from Kokernag in South Kashmir of an attack on a DDC election candidate. I hope & pray that he survives the attack. Elections have always brought out the worst in those forces that have remained inimical to peace in Kashmir.”
Calling the attack “detestable”, Peoples Conference chairman Sajjad Lone said, “Violence has been the biggest facilitator in our disempowerment.”
The forces have put in place three-tier security arrangements for the DDC polls which are being held in eight phases in the Union territory.
Till 1 pm, the UT recorded over 43% polling in the third phase, with Poonch district recording the highest voting percentage at 83.07 and Pulwama the lowest at 9.31, officials said.
In the Kashmir division of the Union territory, Kulgam district registered 58.76 per cent polling, the highest for the region, as per figures released by the office of the Jammu and Kashmir Election Commissioner.
The eight-phase DDC polls started on November 28 and are being held along with by-elections to panchayats.
In the Jammu division, Poonch recorded 83.07 per cent polling till 1 pm, Rajouri 64.48 per cent, Reasi 62.37 per cent, Samba 60.21 per cent, Ramban 58.10 per cent, Kishtwar 57.26 per cent, Jammu 57.96 per cent, Kathua 53.60 per cent and Doda 50.49 per cent.
Figures for the Kashmir division showed that Kulgam recorded 58.76 per cent polling, Bandipora 51.96 per cent, Budgam 45.25 per cent, Kupwara 29.87 per cent, Baramulla 28 per cent, Ganderbal 19.15 per cent, Shopian 18.15 per cent, Anantnag 13.11 per cent and Pulwama 9.31 per cent.
The Kashmir division recorded an overall polling percentage of 25 per cent while it was 60.52 per cent for the Jammu division till 1 pm.
In the third phase of the DDC polls, voting is being conducted in 33 constituencies -- 16 in the Kashmir division and 17 in the Jammu division. There are a total of 2,046 polling stations, including 792 in the Jammu division and 1,254 in the Kashmir division. For this phase, as many as 7,37,648 electors are eligible to cast their votes and this includes 3,85,675 men and 3,51,973 women.
Polling is also being held for vacant panch and sarpanch constituencies as well. Out of the 126 constituencies, polling will take place in 66 constituencies and a total of 184 candidates are in the fray, officials said.
Forty sarpanch constituencies have been filled unopposed, they said. Similarly, in panch by-elections, there are 1,738 constituencies, and out of them 798 have been elected unopposed. Polling will take place in 327 constituencies and there are 749 candidates are in the fray.