J&K panchayat polls: Voting for phase 8 today

JAMMU: Polling for the eighth and ninth phase of the nine-phased panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held on December 8 and 11 respectively. Around 7,959 candidates are in fray for the last two phases of polls.

Chief electoral officer Shaleen Kabra said 1,333 candidates are in fray for 483 sarpanch halqas and 5,695 candidates for 3,860 panch wards across the state, for phase 8 of the elections, which will be held on Saturday.

For the phase 9, which is the final phase of the panchayat polls, 210 candidates are in fray for 236 sarpanch halqas and 721 candidates for 1,904 panch wards across the state. Voting and counting for phase 9 is scheduled be held on December 11.

Kabra said the first seven phases of the Panchayat elections passed off smoothly and peacefully with a good participation. “Photo Voter Slips were distributed among voters and security arrangements were made,” Kabra said.