Polling ends for 5th phase of Panchayat polls in J&K (Lead)

Jammu/Srinagar : Polling for the fifth phase of Panchayat elections ended peacefully on Thursday in Jammu and Kashmir.

The overall voter turnout in the 8 a.m.-2 p.m. was 34.9 per cent in the Kashmir Valley, with Kupwara district recording the highest of 45.9 per cent and Pulwama district the lowest (0.4 per cent).

The voter participation was 84.2 per cent in Jammu division, with Jammu district accounting for 87.6 per cent.

The overall voter turnout in the state was 72.8 per cent.

Voting took place in 2,512 polling stations -- 769 in Kashmir and 1,743 in Jammu divisions.

Officials said 4,763 candidates were in the fray in this phase -- for 309 Sarpanch and 1,534 Panch seats. A total of 118 Sarpanchs and 1,046 panchs have been elected unopposed.

A total of 404,283 electors were eligible to vote in the Sarpanch constituencies and 270,295 for Panch constituencies.

The nine-phase Panchayat polls will end on December 17. Panchayat polls were last held in the troubled state in 2011.