40% polling till 1pm in first phase of J&K’s District Development Council elections

Nearly 40% polling was recorded till 1pm in the first ever District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, with Samba district recording the highest turnout of 59.29% and Pulwama the lowest at 6.08% so far, officials said.

The first phase of the eight-phase elections to the DDC in J&K was held from 7am to 2pm amid tight security. This is the first election in J&K since the revocation of Article 370 and its bifurcation into two Union Territories.

The contest is among the newly launched People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, the BJP and the Apni Party floated by former finance minister Altaf Bukhari.

The results will be declared on December 22.

According to the state election commissioner, Kashmir division, Kupwara recorded a voting percentage of 34.1%, Bandipora 34.18%, Baramulla 25.58%, Ganderbal 36.26%, Srinagar 29.94%, Budgam 47.44%, Pulwama 6.08%, Shopian 22.37%, Kulgam 24.49% and Anantnag 26.65% till 1pm.

Similarly, in Jammu division, Kishtwar recorded a voting percentage of 27.14%, Doda 50.63%, Ramban 54.91%, Reasi 56.17%, Udhampur 45.03%, Kathua 54.23%, Samba 59.29%, Jammu 48.96%, Rajouri 57.73% and Poonch 55.48% till 1pm.

EXIT POLLS PROHIBITED TILL LAST PHASE OVER

The state election commission has prohibited the conduct of any exit poll and publishing/displaying of the result of exit poll by print or electronic media till the last phase of the DDC elections.

An order by state election commissioner KK Sharma said, “In exercise of powers conferred under Section 36 of the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, the election authority (state election commission) prohibits the conduct of any exit poll and publishing or publicising/displaying the result of exit poll by means of the print or electronic media or in any other manner in the ongoing DDC elections in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir till the hour fixed for the conclusion of the poll in the last phase of these elections, which is 2pm on December 19.”