SRINAGAR: Polling for the seventh phase of the District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir began on Wednesday.
Officials said that the polling for 31 DDC seats — 13 in the Kashmir division and 18 in the Jammu division — began at 7 AM but few people turned up at polling stations in the valley due to cold weather conditions.
Giving further details, the officials said that against the 13 DDC constituencies of Kashmir division, there are 148 candidates in fray including 34 females. In Jammu division, there are 150 candidates in fray for the 18 DDC constituencies in this phase, including 38 females.
687115 electors (359187 male and 327928 female voters) are going to elect their representatives in all 31 DDC constituencies, they said and added that a total of 1852 polling stations have been designated with 1068 in Kashmir division and 784 in Jammu division.
They further informed that of 117 Sarpanch vacancies notified in the 7th phase, 30 have been elected unopposed. There shall be a contest in 69 constituencies and 231 candidates including 79 females are in fray, he added.
Similarly, they said that out of the total 1270 Panch vacancies notified in this phase, 416 elected unopposed with 438 constituencies will go for elections with 1000 candidates contesting the elections including 287 female candidates.
According to the officials, voter turnout is expected to pick up later in the day. The polling is scheduled to conclude at 2 PM.
