Srinagar: Kashmir Valley reordered a voter turnout of 55.7 percent in the third of the nine-phased elections to Panchayats. Jammu recorded 83% and overall voting percentage was 75.2%, election conducting officials said.
The polling began at 8 am and ended at 2 pm in 2,773 polling stations, including 918 in Kashmir division and 1,855 in Jammu division, officials said.
In Kashmir division, Kupwara district topped the turnout chart with 59.7 per cent, followed by Bandipora with 51.0 per cent, Badgam 40.9 per cent, Baramulla 30.8 per cent, Ganderbal 12 percent, Kargil 75.6 per cent and Leh 64.1 per cent, they said.
Poonch district in Jammu region recorded the highest polling of 87.8 per cent while Kathua, Ramban, Rajouri, Doda and Kishtwar witnessed 83.2, 85.7 and 80.3 per cent, 77.4 and 84.9 percent polling respectively.
The officials said 727 polling stations were categorised as hypersensitive, including 493 in Kashmirdivision and 234 in Jammu division, for the third phase.
They said 5,239 candidates were in the fray for 358sarpanch and 1,652 panch seats. Ninety six sarpanchs and 1,437 panchs have been elected unopposed in this phase, they added.
The officials said an electorate of 4,23,592 were eligible for voting for sarpanch constituencies while 2,70,668 forpanch constituencies.