The first phase of panchayat election in Jammu & Kashmir on Saturday recorded a 74.1% voter turnout, with the Kashmir Valley clocking 62.1%, a quantum jump from the civic election percentage of 35.1 just 30 days ago.
According to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shaleen Kabra, the border district of Kupwara in the Valley witnessed the highest polling at 71.9%, while Ganderbal in central Kashmir registered the lowest 11.9%.
“At least 5,585 candidates were in the fray for 420 sarpanch and 1,845 panch seats in Phase I,” Mr. Kabra said.
Unlike the civic body polls, the panchayat elections are being contested on a non-party basis, opening a window for both regional parties — the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party — to have proxy candidates.
But the National Conference’s provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani reiterated that his party “will stay way from the panchayat polls, too, but contest Assembly polls”.
No violence
The police said there were no reports of any militant violence or protests during the polling in Kashmir.
In Srinagar, where one block was up for polls, 21.8% of the electorate cast their ballot.
According to the State Election Commission (SEC), 85 sarpanchs and 1,676 panchs have already been elected unopposed in Phase I.
The areas close to the Line of Control (LoC) in Baramulla and Kupwara showed more enthusiasm for voting. In Uri of Baramulla, Roshi Begum (100), wife of Mohammad Gazi, came out to vote with her family.
