Srinagar
Voting for the sixth phase of the Jammu and Kashmir panchayat elections is underway.
The polling began at 8 am in 3174 polling stations including 410 in Kashmir division and 2764 in Jammu division, officials said.
The voting would end at 2 pm, they said.
The officials said 771 polling stations have been categorized as hypersensitive including 410 in Kashmir division and 361 in Jammu division.
They said 7156 candidates in the fray for 406 Sarpanch and 2277 Panch seats in Phase-VI while 111 Sarpanchs and 1048 Panchs have been elected unopposed in this Phase.
They said in the areas going to polls in Phase-VI, the electorate of 597396 electors will be voting for Sarpanch constituencies and 457581for Panch constituencies. “Photo Voter Slips have been distributed among the voters to inform them of their polling station,” he said.
They said all arrangements, including security related, have been put in place for smooth conduct of the polls.
The nine-phased elections, being conducted on the non-party basis, began on November 17.
In the first phase of the polls, 74.1 per cent polling was recorded across J-K, including 64.5 per cent in Kashmir division and 79.4 per cent in Jammu division.
In the second phase held on November 20, overall 71.1 per cent polling was witnessed across the state with 80.4 per cent in Jammu division and 52.2 per cent in Kashmir division.
The third phase held on November 23 witnessed a polling percentage of 75.2 per cent.
The fourth phase on November 27, 71.3 per cent polling was recorded.
The officials said in Phase-V which went to polls on November 29, the State witnessed a polling percentage of 71.1% including 33.7% in Kashmir division and 85.2% in Jammu division. In Poonch district, he said, repoll for Sarpanch seat in Sanai Panch Halqa of block Surankote witnessed a turnout of 79.78% and deferred polling in Panchayat HalqaNonabandi witnessed a turnout of 92.23%.
