Voters wait in queue to cast their votes during the second phase of the District Development Council (DDC) elections at Surnakote area in Poonch district of Jammu.
State Election Commissioner (SEC) KK Sharma informed on Friday that the third phase of District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir recorded 50.53 per cent voter turnout. The SEC said that a large number of people came out to cast their votes in the third phase of DDC polls. Long queues were seen right from the morning despite severe cold conditions in the Kashmir division and in the hilly areas of Jammu division.
Polling was largely peaceful in the 33 constituencies of DDC, including 16 in Kashmir division and 17 in Jammu division. A total of 3,72,643 voters (including 1,99,544 males and 1,73,099 females) out of 7,37,648 voters exercised their franchise to choose their representatives in their respective councils, the SEC said.
He informed that out of those who voted, 1,14,756 were from Kashmir division and 2,57,887 from Jammu division. He also said that polling was held on 2,046 polling stations, including 1,254 in Kashmir division and 792 in Jammu division.
The SEC further informed that Jammu division recorded an average voter turnout of 68.88 per cent with Reasi district recording the highest percentage of 75.20 per cent, followed by Rajouri district at 72.81 per cent. The lowest turnout in Jammu division was seen in Doda district which recorded 59.51 per cent polling.
The Kashmir division recorded an average turnout of 31.61 per cent. Kulgam district recorded the highest polling at 64.45 per cent, followed by Bandipora at 56.73 per cent and Budgam at 50.18 per cent.
Giving the district-wise details, the SEC said that in Kashmir division, the polling percentage recorded in Kupwara was 46.25 per cent, followed by Baramulla at 30.94 per cent, Ganderbal at 24.69 per cent, Shopian at 22.68 per cent, Anantnag at 21.64 per cent and Pulwama at 10.87 per cent.
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Similarly, in Jammu division, poll percentage of 72.18 per cent was recorded in Poonch, followed by 70.44 per cent in Jammu, 70.35 per cent in Kishtwar, 70.15 per cent in Samba, 64.79 per cent in Ramban and 62.18 per cent in Kathua.
Further, he said that counting of votes for sarpanch and panch constituencies, which went to the polls in the third phase, is being conducted immediately after the close of poll and the results shall be declared shortly.
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