Srinagar: In the run-up to the Panchayat elections scheduled to be held in December this year, Electoral Photo-Identity Cards (EPIC) have been issued to nearly 63 percent of over 65 lakh eligible voters in Jammu and Kashmir so far, official sources said here on Sunday.
Nearly 41 lakh registered voters out of the total 65.31 lakh have been issued EPICs so far, the sources said.
"Efforts are on to issue the EPICs to as many voters as possible before the Panchayat elections and Municipal polls are held in the state," they said.
State Panchayati Raj Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar has said that elections to the Panchayats will be held in the month of December this year.
The state has been losing more than Rs 250 crores annually in Central assistance as Panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir have not been held since 2001.
Kargil and Leh districts have made the best progress in the state in issuing the EPICs with 79 percent and 76 percent of the electorate getting photo-identity proofs respectively in the twin districts of Ladakh region.
Three out of four voters in Ganderbal district in Central Kashmir have also got EPICs while Kishtwar district in Jammu region has issued these cards to 71 percent of the
electorate.
The urban apathy towards elections is evident as in Srinagar, only 54 percent electorate have got the EPICs while in Jammu, the figure is slightly better at 55 percent.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, October 10, 2010, 13:14