J&K: 58% turnout recorded in 3rd phase
Giving details at a press conference here, Chief Electoral Officer Umang Naurala told reporters that 58% voters have exercised their franchise in the 3rd phase of Assembly Elections-2014 held in 16 constituencies in the Valley spread across three districts of Baramulla, Budgam and Pulwama.
Chief Electoral Officer said the highest turnout was recorded as 82.14% in Chrar-i-Sharief Assembly constituency of district Budgam while the lowest was recorded as 30% in Sopore Assembly constituency of Baramulla district.
He also added that Baramulla district recorded overall voter turnout of 57%, Budgam district 73% while Pulwama district recorded 42.45% voter turnout.
The Chief Electoral Officer said 16 Assembly constituencies that went to polls were spread over three districts for which as many as 1781 polling stations were set up, which included 129 critical, 577 hypersensitive and the rest as sensitive ones.
The CEO added that 144 candidates were in the fray for these 16 constituencies which comprised 13, 69,102 electors including 7, 17,839 male and 6, 51,245 female voters besides 18 third gender voters.
Narula informed that web casting was done in 111 polling stations while at 118 polling stations digital and at 133 polling stations video cameras were installed for free, fair and smooth conduct of polls.
Narula said that 16 general observers, 4 expenditure observers, 3 police observers, one awareness observer besides 268 micro observers and about 11200 poll officials were deployed for the smooth conduct of polls.
Barring a petrol bomb was hurled by unidentified men at a polling station in Gulmarg constituency of Baramulla district over all polling ended peacefully and arrangements were made to facilitate voters to exercise their franchise in a free and fair atmosphere adding that the polling percentage may increase after consolidation of figures.
On Friday, the worst attack was at Uri where terrorists had sneaked into an Army camp and killed nine soldiers and three policemen.
Grenade attacks also took place in Tral on Friday and Sunday.
The Army said the attacks were meant to disrupt the elections after the record turnout of over 70 percent in the first two phases of polling.
The fourth and fifth phase will be held on Dec 14 and 20 and counting of votes will be taken up on Dec 23.
(Reporting and Image by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)
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