Friday, April 22, 2011

79 pc polling in 3rd phase of J&K panchayat elections

Undeterred by the killing of a woman candidate by militants, people turned out in large numbers to vote in Jammu and Kashmir which recorded 79 per cent polling in the third phase of panchayat elections being held in the state after a gap of ten years. 

"The third phase of panchayat elections were totally peaceful and people came out in large numbers to elect their representatives. 79.20 per cent of polling was recorded in the third phase of elections in Jammu and Kashmir today," an official spokesman said.

As many as 246 sarpanches and 1,868 panches in 10 blocks in the state will be elected through the votes cast in the third phase, he said.

The poll percentage was 86.50 per cent in Sogam, 86 per cent in Baramulla, 75 per cent in Ganderbal, 82 per cent in Chadoora, 69.60 per cent in Kulgam, 72.69 per cent in Ramnagar, 78.24 per cent in Dudu-Basantgarh, 82 per cent in Purmandal and 80 per cent each in both Ghagwal and Satwari with a total percentage of 78.95 percent in all these blocks.

In the first political killing in Kashmir since the panchayat polls got underway on 13th April, militants who have given a boycott call shot dead Hasina Begum (40), a panch candidate for the polls in Chrar-e-Sharief area of Budgam district, on 15th April.The polls are being held amidst heightened security following the killing of the woman candidate by ultras.

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