Jammu and Kashmir urban body polls: Voting underway in a polling station in Samba. (ANI)
Voting for the third phase of the urban local bodies elections is underway in Jammu and Kashmir. A total of 242 candidates - of which 84 are female candidates - are in the fray for 56 wards of Samba district. Total number of voters are 31818 which include 15,510 female voters will cast their votes at 57 poling booths. There are 19 Hypersensitive, 06 Sensitive and 32 Normal polling booths. Observers and Nodal Officers have been appointed to ensure fair and free election. The time of the polling is 6 am to 4 pm.
The last phase on October 16. Counting of votes will take place on October 20.
The first of the four-phased municipal elections was held on October 8 after a hiatus of 13 years; the second phase was held on October 10. While the urban body polls have seen satisfactory voter turnout in Jammu, the Kashmir valley has recorded a low voter turnout - only 3.4 per cent of 2.20 lakh electorate exercised their votes in the second phase, officials said.
Two key parties in the state -- the National Conference and Mehbooba Mufti's People's Democratic Party (PDP) -- have abstained from the elections over the centre's stand on Article 35-A, making it a contest between the BJP and the Congress. Terrorists had killed two National Conference workers on Friday and threatened against participating in the polls.
Here are the Highlights on the story:
A high turnout of 80 per cent was recorded in Jammu's Samba district, officials said today.
Safakadal, Chanapora wards record less than 10 votes each in third phase.
In Jammu and Kashmir third phase of local body polls, voter turnout recorded till 2 pm in Baramulla is 72.7 percent, Samba with 73.9 percent, Anantnag with 2.7 percent and Srinagar with 1.5 percent.
In Srinagar district, the voter turnout was very low with just 1.33 per cent, according to the officials.
Jammu region's Samba district recorded an overwhelming 66 per cent voting during the first six hours in the third phase of the state's municipal polls on Saturday while Kashmir Valley witnessed a low turnout.
Omar Abdullah tweeted about the low turnouts and questioned the Centre's "disastrous handing of Kashmir"
On his alliance with BJP, Sajad Lone said, "I don't see any difference in aligning with any national party- I absolutely see no difference. I was their ally even before assembly elections of 2014 and it showed no difference in my pockets of strength and I see no difference even now."
On reports of him becoming CM with the support of BJP, he said, "We are preparing for parliament elections. I can't talk about formation of government."
Sajad Lone is only regional party leader participating in civic bodies elections in Kashmir. He defends Jammu and Kashmir Governor's remarks naming Mayor of Srinagar before polls.
"Governor is human and honest person - he reflected what was emanating from the reports at an official and unofficial level - that he could be one of the contenders for the post of mayor. Junaid's name cropped up and we are supporting him. " he said.
The elections for the fourth and final phase will be held tomorrow. The counting will take place on October 20.
In Anantnag district, the voting percentage was 1.50 per cent while it was 0.4 per cent in Srinagar and 11 per cent in Baramulla district where voters turned out in good numbers in the Uri border town.
In Pulwama and Bandipora districts, some candidates have been elected unopposed while in the other wards no candidate had filed papers for the third phase contest.
Samba district recorded over 35 per cent of voting during the first four hours of third phase of the state's municipal polls on Saturday while the Kashmir Valley witnessed a low turnout.
The municipal elections that are taking place after 13 years in the state, are being held in four phases, covering 79 municipal bodies with an electorate of about 17 lakh electors.
A total of 3,372 nominations have been filed for 1,145 wards. Voting for the fourth and final phase of these elections will be held on October 16.
Control Rooms have been established in all the municipal bodies across the state to respond promptly to any complaints of violation of the model code of conduct (MCC) as also to disseminate information to the public.
The Government has declared public holiday today, including under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, and therefore Government as well as private establishments are required to comply, a press release said. School Education Department and Labour Department have been specifically instructed to ensure adherence to this order. Usual facility to Central government officials for casting their vote shall the provided, the release said.
Shaleen Kabra, the state's Chief Electoral Officer, said the overall poll percentage in the first two phases of the municipal polls that took place on October 8 and 10, has been 47.2 per cent.
Mr Kabra said that to ensure free and fair elections, observers have been deployed, including micro-observers at 222 hypersensitive polling stations in the Kashmir Division and 19 in Jammu Division. He also said that Basic Minimum Facilities (BMF) have been ensured in all the polling stations across the state. Deputy Commissioners are undertaking videography of all critical events related to the poll process
A total of 365 candidates are in the fray for 96 wards of eight urban local bodies comprising 193,990 electors. Additional staff were deployed at polling stations with large number of electors, poll officials said.
Voting began at 6 am and will end at 4 pm in Jammu's Samba district and the valley's Srinagar, Anantnag, Baramulla, Pulwama and Bandipora districts.
Independent Candidate and former National Conference leader Junaid Azim Mattu who resigned from NC disagreeing over decision to boycott local body polls, casts his vote in Srinagar's Barzulla.
"High time some people get off the moral high horse, anybody who disagrees with the two regional parties is labelled a BJP puppet by them, the fact is both NC and PDP have been in alliance with BJP before. So It is hilarious," he told news agency ANI.
In the third phase for 96 wards, there are 365 candidates in fray and 300 polling stations are being established for 193990 electors belonging to 8 ULBs, according to a press release by the chief electoral officer of Jammu and Kashmir.
In Lalchowk, there are 2 voting booths, but no one has come to cast their vote as of yet. There is moderate vote count in Uri. In Sopore there is only one candidate who filed his nomination and thus there has been practically no voting.
In Jammu, there has been good voter turnout whereas in Srinagar there has been low voter turnout. In 2 hours, only 200 votes from have been cast in Srinagar.
Visuals from a polling station in Uri in Baramulla district.
Voters at a polling stations in Samba's Bari Brahmana
Terrorists had killed two National Conference workers on Friday and threatened against participating in the polls.
Two key parties in the state -- the National Conference and Mehbooba Mufti's People's Democratic Party (PDP) -- have abstained from the elections over the centre's stand on Article 35-A, making it a contest between the BJP and the Congress.
The first of the four-phased municipal elections was held on October 8 after a hiatus of 13 years; the second phase was held on October 10. While the urban body polls have seen satisfactory voter turnout in Jammu, the Kashmir valley has recorded a low voter turnout - only 3.4 per cent of 2.20 lakh electorate exercised their votes in the second phase, officials said.
Voting for the third phase of the urban local bodies elections is underway in Jammu and Kashmir. The last phase will take place on October 16. Counting of votes will take place on October 20.