STATE TIMES NEWS
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JAMMU: About 76 per cent voters have exercised their franchise in the Fifth Phase of Assembly elections held in 20 constituencies spread across three districts of Kathua, Jammu and Rajouri.
Giving details at a press conference here on Saturday, the Chief Electoral Officer said the highest turnout was recorded as 83.20 per cent in Bani and lowest as 60 per cent in Gandhi Nagar.
He said Basholi recorded 78.50 per cent, Kathua 80.47 per cent, Billawar 77.60 per cent, Hiranagar (SC), 80.17 per cent, Nagrota 81 per cent, Jammu East 66.05 per cent, Jammu West 65 per cent, Bishnah 80.22 per cent RS Pura (SC) 77.79 per cent, Suchetgarh 80 per cent, Marh 82.45 per cent, Raipur Domana (SC) 77.41 per cent, Akhnoor 82.97 per cent, Chhamb (SC) 82 per cent, Nowshera 81.70 per cent, Darhal 81 per cent, Rajouri 75 per cent and Kalakote 74 per cent.
The Chief Electoral Officer said 20 Assembly constituencies that went to polls on Saturday were spread over three districts for which as many as 2,391 polling stations were set up, which included 278 hypersensitive ones.
The CEO further added that 213 candidates were in the fray for these 20 constituencies, which comprised 18,28,904 electors including 9,59,011 male and 8,69,891 female voters, besides two third gender voters.
Narula informed that web casting was done in 166 polling stations, while at 324 polling stations, digital and at 349 polling stations, video cameras were installed for free, fair and smooth conduct of polls.
Narula said that 20 General Observers, six Expenditure Observers, three Police Observers, two Awareness Observer besides 394 Micro Observers and about 12,820 poll officials were deployed for the smooth conduct of polls.
He said elaborate arrangements were made to facilitate voters to exercise their franchise in a free and fair atmosphere, adding that the polling percentage may increase after consolidation of figures.
Narula said that the overall percentage for the 2014 Assembly elections of all the five phases has been recorded as 66 per cent, which is 5 per cent more than the 2008 Assembly Elections, where the overall voter percentage stood at 61 per cent.
Constituency wise Percentage of the fifth phase of Assembly Elections of J&K is 63-Bani 83.20 %, 64-Basohli 78.50 %, 65-Kathua 80.47 % ,66-Billawar 77.60 %, 67-Hiranagar(SC) 80.17 %, 70-Nagrota 81.00 %, 71-Gandinagar 60.00 %, 72-Jammu East 66.05 %, 73-Jammu West 65.00 %, 74-Bishnah 80.02 %, 75-R. S. Pura (SC) 77.79 %, 76-Suchetgarh 80.00 %, 77-Marh 82.45 %, 78-Raipur Domana(SC) 77.41 %, 79-Akhnoor 82.97 %, 80-Chhamb(SC) 82.00 %, 81-Nowshara 81.70 %, 82- Darhal 81.00 %, 83-Rajouri 75.00 %, 84- Kalakote 74.00 %
Overall Percentage 76.00 %