DDC Elections: Braving cold, Kashmir voters queue up in large numbers

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Srinagar: Braving cold weather, scores of people queued up in Srinagar and other districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday to cast their votes in the second phase of District Development Council elections.

The gathering of people and the ultimate numbers by the end of the day were surprising as not many had expected to see such a turnout in J&K considering the tumultuous phase it has been through since August 2019.

Reacting to the numbers at the end of the day, a polling official said: “It was another excellent performance in Kashmir in the Phase-2 DDC elections. Polling has been very brisk and long queues, including that of women, were seen almost everywhere,” he said.

According to State Election Commissioner K.K Sharma, J&K recorded 48.62% of voter turnout as a large number of people have come out to cast their votes during second phase of District Development Council Elections 2020.

The Kashmir Division recorded 33.34 % voter turnout. Bandipora district recorded highest polling at 69.66 % followed by Kupwara District at 58.69% and Ganderbal with around 49.14% polling in the second phase of elections.

Giving the district wise details about the DDC, the SEC informed that in Kashmir Division, the polling percentage recorded in Budgam was 43.51%, Srinagar 33.78%, Kulgam 29.90%, Baramulla 28.95%, Shopian 17.28%, Anantnag 16.09%, and Pulwama 8.67%.

Long queues were seen right from morning despite severe cold conditions in Kashmir Division and hilly areas of Jammu Division.

As per officials, polling remained peaceful in the poll going 43 constituencies of DDC.

A total of 377401 voters including 201792 males and 175609 females out of 795118 voters, voted to choose their representatives in their respective councils.

The SEC said that polling was held on 2142 polling stations including 1305 from Kashmir division and 837 from Jammu division.

He added that Jammu division recorded an average voter turnout of 65.54% with Poonch District recording the highest percentage of 75.07% followed by Jammu district with 69.97%. The lowest turnout in Jammu division was in Kathua district which recorded 60.10%.

Similarly, in Jammu division, poll percentage of 61.64% was recorded in Kishtwar, 64.80% in Doda, 66.23% in Ramban, 62.51% in Udhampur, 66.38% in Samba and 69.27 in Reasi% and 60.21% in Rajouri.

Further, he said that counting of votes for Sarpanch and Panch constituencies which went to poll in the second phase is being conducted immediately after the close of poll and results shall be declared then and there only.

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