Jammu Division repeats massive participation
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: State Election Commissioner (SEC), K K Sharma, on Thursday said that over 51 per cent of people voted across 37 seats in the fifth phase of District Development Council (DDC) elections that passed off peacefully across Jammu and Kashmir.
SEC informed this while interacting with the media here after the conclusion of fifth phase of the ongoing DDC polls.
While giving a brief about today’s elections, the SEC said that a large number of people came out to cast their votes during this phase of the elections.
SEC said that polling was peaceful and people participated enthusiastically despite severe cold conditions in Kashmir division and some hilly areas of Jammu division.
Polling has been peaceful in the poll going 37 constituencies of DDC including 17 in Kashmir division and 20 in Jammu division that witnessed 51.20 per cent of polling, he added.
He also informed that polling was held in 2,104 polling stations including 1,190 from Kashmir division and 914 from Jammu division.
SEC further informed that Jammu division recorded an average voter turnout of 66.67 per cent with Poonch District recording the highest percentage of 71.62 per cent followed by Doda district with 70.95 per cent and 70.83 per cent voting recorded in Rajouri district. The lowest turnout in Jammu division was in Jammu district which recorded 60.24 per cent. Besides, Kashmir Division recorded 33.57 per cent average voter turnout with Bandipora district recording the highest polling at 56.40 per cent followed by Kupwara District at 52.35 per cent and Budgam with around 45.65 per cent polling.
Giving district wise details, SEC informed that in Kashmir Division the polling percentage recorded in Ganderbal was 37.47 per cent, Baramulla 44.31 per cent, Anantnag 21.89 per cent, Kulgam 26.94 per cent, Pulwama 8.12 per cent and 5.52 per cent polling was registered in Shopian.
Similarly, in Jammu division poll percentage of 64.71 per cent was recorded in Samba, 69.47 per cent in Udhampur, 68.27 per cent in Kishtwar, 67.11 per cent in Ramban, 69.15 per cent in Reasi and 62.36 per cent in Kathua.
Further, he said that counting of votes for Sarpanch and Panch constituencies which went to poll in the 5th phase is being conducted immediately after the close of poll and results shall be declared.
The District Development Council Elections in Jammu division has shown sustained participation with each subsequent phase. The trend was witnessed over again amid the fifth phase polling held across twenty DDC constituencies of this part of the Jammu and Kashmir Union territory.
The reports pouring in from different regions show sustained voter turnout with unceasing participation across the social spectrum.
The voters were seen reaching polling booths since the morning, unabated by hilly terrain and harsh winter climate.
Rani Devi cast her vote at 7.40 am at Dangdevpur Polling Booth in Marheen block- Kathua. She was the first female to reach the polling booth. Long queues of the female voters, young and elderly, were seen at Lakhri Polling Booth, block Nagrota Gujroo- Kathua and Gopala Chak, Mahreen Block. The Phase-V polling in Kathua was held for Mahreen and Nagrota Gujroo DDC seats.
Yuraj Singh – first time voter was one among the early voters at polling Booth Darsopur- Miran Sahib block- District Jammu. “I am a first time voter and I am voting for the development of my Block” Yuraj said unequivocally.
Specially-abled Ramesh Singh, another voter at the same booth also expressed similar feelings after casting his vote. Gurbachan Kour(95) came all the way to vote at Polling Booth, Chatta Farm- Phallian Mandal block to cast her vote. Wearing face masks, several other women voters accompanied her to the polling booth.
Donning traditional headgear and face mask- Mohammad Munshi also voted at Darsopur Polling Booth along with his family.
In Ramban, the voting was held for Batote DDC seat at 29 polling booths. The voting started at a dull note due to freezing weather in the morning, but it picked up as the day progressed.
Centenarian, Reshma Bibi (102) cast her vote at polling station no 3 at BDO office, Maggu Nalla, Batote, while Meera Baksh 98 cast his vote at polling station 27 Dalwass. The first time voters and women also turned up in large numbers to vote.
The polling in mountainous Doda district was held in Block Gundna, Block Kahara and Chenab River side Thathri block. All the three constituencies witnessed record voter turnout.
District Kishtwar witnessed polling for Palmar and Thakrie DDC Constituencies and District Rajouri for Kalakote and Dhangri DDC constituencies. Udhampur district witnessed Phase -V polling in Majalta and Khoon DDC constituencies, while in Samba district polling was held in Nud and Ramgarh -B DDC constituencies. Polling in Reasi district was held for Arnas and Bhomag DDC seats, while in Poonch district voting was held for Poonch and Lashana DDC seats.