Srinagar: Unlike voting in just concluded election to urban local bodies, Kashmir Valley recorded over 64 per cent polling in the first phase of Panchayat elections, officials said. the polling like the ULB elections remained incident-free, they said.
with a total polling percentage of 64.5 per cent in Valley, Kupwara district in north Kashmir recorded highest turnout of 71.9 percent while central Ganderbal district saw polling percentage of less than 12 percent, they said.
Giving details, they said Kupwara district saw 71.9 percent voting, 55.7 per cent in Bandipora, 69.1 per cent in Baramulla, 11.9% in Ganderbal, Srinagar district recorded 21.8 per cent followed by 30.1 per cent in Budgam, 59.7 per cent in Leh and 70.9 per cent in Kargil.
The total polling percentage in Jammu division was 79.5 per cent as 2.35 lakh voters out of 2.95 lakh voted, they said.
In Jammu region, polling per cent in Kishtwar was 74.1 per cent, Rajouri 78.9, Poonch 78.7, Udhampur 83.6,Doda 80.8, Kathua 80 and Ramban 78.2 per cent, they added.
There will be eight more phases of panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir.
The first phase polling was held in 47 blocks, including 16 blocks in Kashmir, 21 in Jammu and 10 in Ladakh region.
There were 3296 polling stations across the state, including 1303 in Kashmir and 1993 in Jammu Division. 5585 candidates were in the fray for 420 Sarpanch and 1845 Panch seats in Phase-I. 85 Sarpanchs and 1676 Panchs have already been elected unopposed in Phase-I.
687 polling stations were categorized as hypersensitive including 491 in Kashmir and 196 in Jammu Division.
In the areas going to polls in the Phase-I, 445059 electors were eligible for voting for Sarpanch seats and 272792 for Panch constituencies.
