STATE TIMES NEWS
Jammu: The seventh phase of panch and sarpanch by-elections in Jammu and Kashmir recorded 68.43 per cent and 58.64 per cent voter turnout respectively, poll officials said on Thursday.
Udhampur district in the Jammu division had the highest poll percentage in the Union Territory at 81.38 in the sarpanch bypolls, while Bandipora district had the highest turnout at 68.82 per cent in the Kashmir division.
For panch by-elections, Jammu division’s Rajouri district registered the highest voter turnout in Jammu and Kashmir at 84.85 per cent, while Bandipora had the highest voting percentage at 75.66 in the Kashmir division.
“There was 68.43 per cent and 58.64 per cent polling recorded in the seventh phase of vacant panch and sarpanch bypolls, respectively, held the other day (Wednesday),” State Election Commissioner (SEC) K K Sharma told reporters here.
Bypolls were held for 438 vacant panch seats in the seventh phase and out of a total of 78,866 electors, including 39,727 men and 37,139 women, 52,599 voted, he said, adding that there were 1,000 candidates in the fray.
Giving details of overall voter turnout percentage, Sharma said that it was 72.95 in the Jammu division and 68.22in the Kashmir division for this phase of the panch by-elections.
On the sarpanch bypolls, he said that 58.64 per cent voting was registered in 69 vacant constituencies. In this phase, there were 1,12,856 electors, including 59,114 men and 53,742 women, out of which 66,175 exercised their franchise, Sharma said.
In the Jammu division, 74.92 per cent polling was recorded whereas it was 52.72 per cent in the Kashmir division in the sarpanch bypolls, he said.
The SEC said that in the Jammu division in the sarpanch bypolls, Udhampur district recorded the highest voter turnout at 81.38 per cent, followed by Reasi with 80.16 per cent and Rajouri by 77.68 per cent turnout. In the Kashmir division, Bandipora district topped with 68.82 per cent voter turnout followed by Budgam with 54.54 per cent and Baramulla with 53.02 per cent turnout, Sharma said.
On division-wise voter turnout break up for panch bypolls, he said in the Kashmir division, Bandipora district recorded the highest turnout at 75.66 per cent followed by Ganderbal with 75.06 per cent and Kupwara with 71.22 per cent turnout.
In the Jammu division, Rajouri district had the highest polling percentage at 84.85, followed by Reasi with 83.98 per cent turnout and Doda with 78.38 percent turnout, he said.
The SEC said that polling was peaceful and smooth at all polling stations.