Panchayat bypolls Ph-III: 61.10 pc polling for Panch, 49.25 pc for Sarpanch vacancies

STATE TIMES NEWS

Jammu: An estimated 61.10 percent and 49.25 percent voter turnout was recorded in the third phase of bypolls to vacant Panch and Sarpanch seats in Jammu and Kashmir, respectively, State Election Commissioner K K Sharma said on Saturday.
The third phase of the Panchayat bypolls was held along with the District Development Council (DDC) elections on Friday.
The bypolls for Panch vacant seats were held in 327 constituencies in the third phase.
A total of 31,844 electors (including 16,600 males and 15,244 females), out of 52,118, exercised their right to franchise in the 3rd phase of Panch by-elections which began at 7 am and ended at 2 pm, Sharma said.
He said the Jammu division recorded 79.47 percent and the Kashmir division recorded 59.63 percent voter turnout during the third phase of panch by-elections.
Regarding vacant Sarpanch constituencies, 49.25 percent polling was registered during the third phase in 66 constituencies in which a total of 39,852 electors (including 21,307 males and 18,545 females), out of 80,913, voted to choose their representatives, Sharma said.
He said, 74.74 percent polling was registered in Jammu the division whereas 42.57 percent voting was recorded in the Kashmir division.
In the Jammu division, Kishtwar district recorded the highest voter turnout of 89.55 percent for panch by-elections, followed by Rajouri with 88.29 percent and Ramban with 86.10 percent.
Similarly, Kulgam district topped the voter turnout in the Kashmir division with 77.11 percent, followed by Budgam with 74.21 percent and Bandipora with 64.88 percent, he said.