After the final withdrawal of nomination papers, 1,065 candidates are in fray for the October 24 Block Development Council (BDC) polls in Jammu and Kashmir, State election officials said on Saturday.
853 Independents
“A total of 1,092 nominations, including 853 Independents, were found eligible after the scrutiny and withdrawal, out of which 27 candidates were elected unopposed as chairpersons, leaving 1,065 in the fray,” the officials said.
The highest number of 101 candidates are trying their luck from north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, followed by nearby Baramulla (90), Jammu (82), Rajouri (76), Doda (74), Kathua (72) Udhampur and Budgam (58 each), Kishtwar (44), Ramban (43) and Reasi (39), they said.
The officials said Leh and Kargil districts together accounted for 74 candidates — 38 from Kargil and 36 from Leh, while Shopian district in south Kashmir has the lowest number of only four candidates.
Another five candidates are in fray from Srinagar district.
Polls in 310 blocks
There are 316 blocks in the State, out of these two are without elected panches or Sarpanches besides, four blocks have been reserved for women and there are no women candidates.
Thus, the elections would be held in 310 blocks on October 24.
All necessary arrangements have been made by the authorities for the smooth conduct of elections, the officials said.
They said there would be one polling station for one BDC, and accordingly, 310 polling stations have been set up in the State, one in each block where elections are to be held.
There are 26,629 voters, of which 8,313 are women and 18,316 men for all the 316 blocks across the 22 districts of J&K, the officials said, adding that the ballot boxes will be used during the polls as the election shall be held through secret ballot.
