DDC Polls: 57 percent voters come out to vote in phase 7
Jammu: The District Development Council (DDC) polls witnessed a record voter turnout of 57% as people came out in large numbers except some areas in south Kashmir and voted for their candidates.
State Election Commissioner (SEC) K K Sharma while talking to reporters said that phase-7 of District Development Council (DDC) polls held today recorded a massive turn out at 57 percent.
“It was a day of massive turn out. It’s a matter of satisfaction,” Sharma said. He said that J&K today recorded 57. 22 percent voting which is the highest since the DDC polls commenced.
In Kashmir, the highest polling percentage was recorded at Bandipora at 70.47 percent and in Jammu, Poonch recorded the highest voting turnout at 80.12 percent voting.
He said that Kashmir witnessed 39.2 percent voting while in Jammu, total voting percentage remained at 71.93 percent, which is highest so far.
He said that in total, 394,200 voters participated in the voting exercise.
“It is a matter of satisfaction that a lot of eligible electorates came out to cast their vote,” Sharma said.
“Kashmir Division recorded 39.52 percent average voter turnout with Bandipora district recording the highest polling at 70.47 percent followed by Baramulla with 59.53% and Kupwara district recorded 59.23 percent polling,” he said.
Giving district wise details, the SEC informed that in Kashmir Division the polling percentage recorded in Budgam was 45.11 percent, Ganderbal 53.69 percent, Anantnag 22.46, Kulgam 17.98 percent, Pulwama 11.06 percent and 6.55 percent polling was registered in Shopian.
“Similarly, in Jammu division the poll percentage of 74.38 percent was recorded in Samba, 72.85 in Kathua, 67.75 percent in Ramban, 73.10 percent in Rajouri, 69.89 per cent in Kishtwar and 68.66 percent in Jammu district,” Sharma said.
He further said that 393200 (210479 male and 182721 female votes) people exercised their right to franchise for the seventh phase across the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.
Because of the huge polling, there was lot of activity all around, the SEC said.
“Our sector magistrate and observers took note of small complaints and in two cases inquiries have been ordered. If there would be a need to go for a re-poll, we will be doing that once the inquiry is completed,” he said.
In Poonch, at a polling station located at Galian, where a masked man was seen allegedly tampering with the ballot, about which a video is viral on social media. An inquiry has been ordered and investigations are going on, he said.
The SEC said that there was no law and order issue reported during the polling anywhere and the day passed off peacefully.
Notably, Jammu division witnessed voting in 18 constituencies as Phase–VII polling for Eight Phase DDC and Panchayat by-polls.
Like in past phases, the polling was held peacefully in all constituencies amid huge participation of voters across the social spectrum. The voters voted to decide the fate of 150 candidates fighting for the 18 DDC seats of the Division.
As per reports pouring in from different areas, long queues of voters were seen at polling booths where women, elderly and First time voters were seen waiting for their turn. Enthusiastic voters of all age groups flocked the polling booths since the early morning. The scenes of voters dressed in colourful woolens and forming long queues presented a festive sight in the mountainous Chenab region, which witnessed sunny a day after a chilling spell. Similar scenes were witnessed in Kathua, Samba, Jammu and Pirpanchal region, where voters thronged polling booths amid sunny weather.
Sheetal Singh, 23 was the first voter at polling Booth-33 village Chohala in border block RS Pura. Braving the early morning foggy conditions, Sunita Khajuria 45, voted at Middle School Kalibari Kathua at 7.30. First time voter, Abhishek Sharma cast his vote at GMS Maroli Polling Station in Kathua block. Madhu Singh 29, was first voter at polling Booth UPS Batyari – Udhampur.
Septuagenarian Ghulam Hassan 78, along with his family voted at Polling booth GMS Draptey in RS Pura.
Long queues of women voters were also seen across all the constituencies. In the Chenab region, women formed long queues as they waited for their turn. Similar scenes were seen in Kathua, Udhampur and Pirpanchal region.
A centenarian female voter Zaiba Begum( 104) cast her vote at Bagan polling booth in Ramban, while another centenarian female voter, Jai Devi cast her vote at Khatyal Sawani and Mathrua Dass 95, cast his vote at polling booth Digdole on Jammu Srinagar National Highway.
Meanwhile, braving the bone-chilling cold, voters in border district Kupwara queued up outside polling stations to cast their vote.
The voters including the elderly men and women standing in queues said that they are voting for DDC candidates because they want the restoration of Article 370 and 35A, peace and prosperity in the valley beside development.
Abdul Majeed, a voter in the Sogam constituency said that the vote he cast his vote for the rights of people and restoration of all the Articles abrogated by the central government.
“With time the development will come, but the special status snatched from the people of Kashmir must be returned,” he said.
Lal Din Khan, a voter in Lalpora, said that his vote is for peace and prosperity in the times to come.
Aziza Begum, 90, said that nothing has happened for the past 70 years and she is hoping that the DDC candidate she voted for will works for the development with a people-centric approach.
Many voter said that besides the basic facilities and development, the DDC election is also an opportunity with the people to choose a local representative to ensure the native issues are redressed at the earliest.
