Jammu records 65 per cent polling in municipal elections: Poll panel

A total of 65 per cent of 4.42 lakh voters exercised their franchise Monday in the first phase of municipal elections in the state's winter capital Jammu, according to Jammu and Kashmir poll panel.

Jammu division registered 65 percent voters' turnout against an overall 56.7 percent voting in the state.

Lauding cooperation of various stakeholders, including the voters, candidates and security personnel in "smooth" conduct of the election, Jammu District Election Officer Ramesh Kumar termed polling in Jammu division as "peaceful".

The urban local bodies (ULB) elections was completed peacefully, recording an overall turnout of 65 per cent, Kumar, who is also the Jammu deputy commissioner, told reporters here.

 

The voting for all the 75 wards of Jammu municipal corporation and 79 wards of its seven municipal committees, were "smooth and peaceful".

Kumar said out of total 154 municipal wards, the polling was held for 153 wards, sealing the fate of 742 candidates. One candidate was elected unopposed earlier from Arnia municipal committee.

The Jammu municipal corporation, which has the highest number of 447 candidates, recorded over 62 per cent voter turnout, while municipal committees of Bishanh witnessed 85.15 per cent turnout, Arnia 79 per cent, R S Pura 80.54 per cent, Ghomanhasan 86 per cent, Akhnoor 81 per cent, Jouria 89 per cent and Khour 82 per cent, Kumar said.

He said a total of over 4.42 lakh voters were eligible to vote in the district and a total of 584 polling stations had been set up with adequate security arrangements to ensure free and fair polling.

Kumar said 600 electronic voting machines (EVMs) were used for the first time in the ULB polls in the district and there was no major complaint of EVM malfunction during the voting.

He said five EVMs had to be replaced following glitches, but the exercise was completed in time with no impact on the voting.