Srinagar: Over 350 candidates are in fray in the penultimate phase of the urban local bodies polls in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.
The four-phase elections began on October 8 and will end on October 16.
In the first two phases polls, a majority of people stayed away from polling booths in Kashmir Valley for where the turnout was at 8.3 per cent only in first phase while phase-II witnessed meager 3.4 percent turnout.
Polling in both the phases was by and large peaceful in the four-phase election to urban local bodies, which has been boycotted by two main regional parties – the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Officials said on Friday that security arrangements have been put in place for smooth conduct of the their phase of elections which will take place from 6 am to 4 pm.
The third phase will cover a total of 207 wards in J&K, spanning six districts across the state, five of which are in the Valley while remaining is Samba district, officials said.
They said 441 nominations were received for these wards and after scrutiny and withdrawal, 411 contestants are in the fray for the polls.
Out of 411 candidates, 49 have won the polls uncontested, all o them from Kashmir Valley. The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), J&K, Shaleen Kabra this evening said voting will take place at 300 polling stations across the State.
In a statement, Kabra said that 365 candidates are in the fray for 96 wards of 8 Urban Local Bodies for the 3rd Phase comprising a total electorate of 193990 electors. He said additional poll staff is being deployed at polling stations with large number of electors.
The CEO said that to ensure free and fair elections, Observers have been deployed, including micro-observers at 222 hypersensitive polling stationsin the Kashmir Division and 19 in Jammu Division.
