Jammu and Kashmir DDC election: 51.76 per cent polling recorded in first phase

JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir District Development Council (DDC) elections witnessed 51.76 per cent polling in phase 1 on Saturday (November 28, 2020).

KK Sharma, State Election Commissioner informed that the voting percentage in Jammu division was recorded at 64.2% and in Kashmir division, it was 40.65%. 

Over 39.69 per cent polling was recorded till 1 pm in the first-ever DDC elections in Jammu and Kashmir, with Samba district recording the highest voting percentage at 59 per cent. 

The eight-phase DDC polls are also the maiden elections in Jammu and Kashmir since it was reorganised as a union territory last year, and it is being held along with byelections to panchayats.

"The first phase of the DDC elections recorded a voter percentage of 22.12 per cent across different constituencies spread over all districts of Jammu and Kashmir till 11:00 am," an official said.

Polling took place in several blocks since 7 am and there was no immediate report of any untoward incident. 

The DDC election is being seen as a triangular contest among the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), the BJP and the Apni Party floated by former finance minister Altaf Bukhari.

In the first phase, as many as 1,475 candidates are in the fray, according to officials.