Second phase of panchayat polls under way in J&K

Tribune News Service
Srinagar, November 20

After a moderate turnout of voters in the first phase of panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, polling for Phase 2 of the elections began under tight security across the state on Tuesday.

The elections are being held amid separatists’ boycott call in poll-bound areas, while two major political parties, National Conference and PDP, have boycotted the civic bodies elections over the issues of Articles 35A and 370 and the overall security situation in the state.

The polling, which began at 8 am, was going on peacefully, and is scheduled to close at 2 pm.

The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) of separatists led by Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik has asked people to observe a complete protest shutdown in the poll-bound areas of the Kashmir Valley.

According to Chief Electoral Officer, the highest poll percentage in the Valley was 28.8 up to 10 am in two blocks of Ganstan and Nowgam in Bandipora district of north Kashmir.

The lowest poll percentage of 0.5 was recorded in Anantnag and Bejbehara blocks of Anantnag district in south Kashmir. The poll percentage in Kupwara was 11.8, 3.5 in Baramulla, and 10.5 in Ganderbal districts.

In Ladakh region, Leh recorded 6 per cent and Kargil 5.1 per cent voting up to 10 am, the CEO said.

In Jammu division, Udhampur district recorded the highest polling at 30.3 per cent, followed by 27.5 in Poonch, 22.6 in Rajouri, 18.6 in Ramban, 17.8 in Kathua, 17.3 in Doda and 13.5 in Kishtwar district.