14th phase of Kashmir panchayat polls ends

[1]

The 14th phase of the Jammu and Kashmir panchayat elections ended on Monday afternoon in eight panchayat blocks across the state.

Polling started at 8 AM. On Monday in Pampore, Shopian, Kalaroos and Kralpora blocks of the Kashmir Valley and in Nobra, Panamic, Nyoma and Durbuk blocks of the Ladakh region. A senior poll official said 44 percent votes had been polled in Pampore, 54 percent in Shopian, 78 per cent in Kalaroos and 87 per cent in Kralpora. The voter turnout was 72 per cent in Nobra, 62 per cent in Panamic, 54 per cent in Nyoma and 59 percent in Durbuk blocks.

The 15th phase of the elections will be held on Saturday (June 11). Panchayat elections are being held to elect sarpanches (village headmen) and panches (village councillors). These elections are being held after a gap of ten years because of the disturbed law and order situation following the outbreak of the separatist violence in the state. Since the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act does not provide the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs), paper ballots and ballot boxes are being used in these elections.

All the rounds so far have seen massive voter participation. These elections are being held on a non-party basis. However, both the ruling National Conference-Congress alliance and the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) have claimed that their candidates have been sweeping the polls.