Polling for 4th phase of Panchayat polls ends in J&K (Lead)

Jammu/Srinagar : Polling ended peacefully on Tuesday for the fourth phase of Panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

No untoward incident was reported during the voting that started at 8 a.m. and ended at 2 p.m.

In the Kashmir Valley, an overall 32.2 per cent electorate voted, with 63.2 per cent polling reported in Baramulla district. Pulwama district recorded the lowest voter turnout (0.6 per cent).

In Jammu division, 82.5 per cent votes were polled.

The overall voter turnout in Tuesday's poll for the entire state was 71.3 per cent, officials said.

Voting took place in 2,618 polling stations across the state -- 639 in Kashmir division and 1,979 in Jammu division.

There were 5,470 candidates for 339 Sarpanch and 1,749 for Panch seats. A total of 99 Sarpanchs and 969 Panchs have been elected unopposed in this phase.

A total of 472,160 people were eligible to vote for Sarpanchs and 332,502 for Panchs.

The voter turnout in the first phase on November 17 was 74.1 per cent, 71.1 per cent in the second phase on November 20 and 75.2 per cent in the third phase on November 24.

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