Panchayat poll draws to a close, overall turnout 74%

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 11

The peaceful conduct of the nine-phase panchayat elections, which concluded on Tuesday, has shown that people totally disregarded the boycott call by separatists and terror threats as over 74 per cent rural voters exercised their franchise in this marathon exercise to restore democracy at the grassroots level.

Barring a few pockets of the Kashmir valley, electors in all three regions overwhelmingly participated in the poll process which started on November 17.

Though the overall poll percentage was slightly less as compared to the last panchayat elections held in 2011, stakeholders declared it as “major victory” of democracy given the hostile weather conditions, threat perception and announcement of two major political parties — National Conference and Peoples Democratic party — to stay away from elections which were held on a non-party basis.

In 2011, over 80 per cent turnout was recorded but the elections were conducted during the summer season.

This time, the highest poll percentage was recorded in the eighth phase when around 80 per cent voters turned out to cast their ballots on November 8.

“We express our gratitude to the people of the state who stood against all odds and took part in the elections. The politicians of the state should now understand that people do not believe in their dirty politics anymore,” said Shafiq Mir, chairman, All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC).

Mir said it was the victory of democracy in the state and should serve as a “lesson” for those who believe in boycott politics. “Despite a boycott call, around 70-80 per cent voting was witnessed. This showed the people wanted democracy and not hypocrisy. We warn the politicians not to politicise the elections by any mean. Panchayats are not political but a community institution,” he said.

Anil Sharma, president, AJKPC, too expressed happiness over successful conduct of the panchayat elections, saying, “It is the victory of people’s faith in democratic institutions and defeat of those who believe in politics of boycott and opportunism”.

“The high turnout, both in urban local bodies and panchayat elections, was a clear message that people want peace and there is no scope of dirty politics being played by politicians,” Sharma said.

In Valley, 39 per cent polling in last phase 

The final phase of the panchayat poll on Tuesday was held only in Kashmir. It saw 39 per cent polling in 15 blocks of nine districts in the Valley. Kupwara district recorded the highest voting (53.6 per cent) and Pulwama district the lowest (1.4 per cent). Bandipora witnesses 46 per cent polling and Baramulla 38.9 per cent.

Nine phases in all, a marathon exercise

• The panchayat elections were conducted in nine phases from November 17 to December 11
• The elections were held to 316 blocks in 4,483 panchayat halqas comprising 35,029 panch constituencies
• In snow-bound areas, helicopters were used for ferrying polling staff

Polling percentage in three regions  

Phase 1 74.1

Phase 2 71.1

Phase 3 75.2

Phase 4 71.3

Phase 5 71.1

Phase 6 76.9

Phase 7 75.3 

Phase 8 79.9 

Phase 9 38.8