J&K BDC Elections: 98.3% voter turnout; BJP claims 4 seats in Kargil, all 16 in Leh

A record 98.3% voter turnout was recorded for the first-ever Block Development Council (BDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), where the elections had been boycotted by the Congress, National Congress and the People's Democratic Party. Notably, the BDC election is the first electoral exercise in the state after the centre's decision to abrogate Article 370 on August 5.

BJP won 4 seats and Independent candidates won 11 seats in Kargil, while the BJP won all the 16 seats in Leh.

In Udhampur district, the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) won eight of the 17 blocks while the BJP won just four blocks. The JKNPP won Janganoo, Khoon, Kulwanta, Latti Marothi, Majalta, Parli Dhar, Ramnagar, and Chanunta blocks in the district, while the BJP won in Dudu Basantgarh, Ghordi, Panchari and Udhampur.

Independent candidates fared well in the elections, as all the eleven blocks in Poonch were won by independent candidates. Eight of the 12 blocks in Jammu's Reasi district also went to independent candidates while the remaining four blocks went to the BJP.

A total of 1,092 candidates were in the fray in the election held to elect chairpersons for 310 BDCs in Jammu and Kashmir. The election was held on Thursday (October 24). Candidates in 27 BDCs were elected unopposed. 

Srinagar district recorded 100 per cent polling followed by Reasi (99.7 per cent) and Jammu (99.5 per cent) polling.

(With Zee Media Newsroom inputs)