Unlike urban local body polls, the first phase of rural election saw success amid high security
Ballot triumphed over bullet as people of Jammu and Kashmir defied boycott calls by separatists and terror outfits and participated in the first phase of Panchayat polls.
The first phase of panchayat polls gave the authorities a big face-saver after the dismal voter turnout in the recently concluded four phase Urban Local Bodies elections in the Kashmir valley.
Turnout in the first phase of Panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir was 74.1 per cent with the restive Valley alone recording 64.5 per cent.
Kupwara district recorded highest turnout with 71.9 per cent in Kashmir valley while Udhampur recorded the highest with 83.6 per cent in Jammu division. In Ladakh division, Kargil recorded the highest with 70.9 per cent and Leh witnessed 59.7 per cent turnout.
Jammu and Kashmir had recorded dismal 35.1 per cent voter turnout in recently concluded Urban Local Bodies polls with the Kashmir valley witnessing single digit polling given the boycott calls by separatists.
Elated by the huge turnout, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik said it is heartening to note that people turned up in large numbers not only in Jammu region but also in Kashmir to exercise their franchise in these elections. "At 64% voting in Kashmir division, the Valley has given thumbs up to strengthening the grassroots democracy," he said.
"People participated with enthusiasm in Panchayat polls in Kashmir defying boycott threats," tweeted Ram Madhav, BJP national general secretary.
Figures released by the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) reveal that around 5,585 candidates are in the fray for 420 Sarpanch and 1,845 Panch seats in the 15 districts that saw polling on Saturday. Around 85 Sarpanchs and 1,676 Panchs have already been elected unopposed in first phase.
Around 687 polling stations were categorised as hypersensitive including 491 in Kashmir and 196 in Jammu division. Around 4,45,059 electors were to vote for Sarpanch seats while 2,72,792 were to vote for Panch constituencies.
Tight security arrangements were made to ensure peaceful panchayat polls. More than 400 additional companies of the paramilitary forces were deployed to ensure incident free election. Of these, 350 companies of security forces were deployed in Kashmir valley alone.
Kashmir observed strike on Saturday against the Panchayat polls. The call for the strike was given by Joint Resistance Leadership of the separatists.
Panchayat elections, which are being held on the non party basis, will be conducted in nine phases from November 17 to December 11 in all the 22 districts of the terror plagued Jammu and Kashmir.
Both PDP and NC boycotted the Civic and Panchayat polls over the issue of Article 35 A. In their absence, People's Conference and BJP made hay in the civic polls. Congress too made some gains but failed to capitalize on the absence of the two major parties.
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