J-K DDC polls phase 4: Over 7 lakh voters to decide fate of 249 candidates
In the 17 DDC constituencies of Kashmir division, 138 candidates, including 48 women, are in the fray. In Jammu division, 111 candidates, including 34 women, are contesting in this phase.
More than seven lakh voters will decide the fate of 249 candidates contesting in the fourth phase of the District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.
The polling will be held between 7am and 2pm in 34 constituencies -- 17 each in Jammu and Kashmir divisions.
Besides DDC elections, polling will be held for panchayat bypolls in 50 vacant sarpanch seats and 216 vacant panch seats falling within the DDC constituencies, an official spokesperson said, according to news agency PTI.
So far, three phases of the maiden DDC elections, the first democratic exercise in Jammu and Kashmir after the reorganization of the erstwhile state last year, were held on November 28, December 1 and December 4, registering a voter turnout of 51.76 per cent, 48.62 per cent and 50.53 per cent, respectively.
In the 17 DDC constituencies of Kashmir division, 138 candidates, including 48 women, are in the fray. In Jammu division, 111 candidates, including 34 women, are contesting in this phase.
“There were 123 sarpanch vacancies notified in the 4th phase and out of these 45 have got filled unopposed. There shall be a contest in 50 constituencies and 137 candidates, including 47 women, are in the fray,” the spokesperson said.
Out of the total 1,207 panch vacancies notified in this phase, 416 have got filled unopposed and there is no contest in these constituencies. Polling would take place in 216 panch constituencies and there are 478 candidates in the fray including 129 women, he added.
In the fourth phase, 7,17,322 electors are eligible to cast their votes -- 3,76,797 men and 3,40,525 women. Among them, 3,50,149 are from Jammu division and 3,67,173 from Kashmir division, he said.
In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, adequate arrangements have been made to ensure safety of all stakeholders, including voters.
Special polling stations at Women College Gandhinagar, Jammu and Girls Higher Secondary School Udhampur have been set up to facilitate physical voting by Kashmiri migrants, the spokesperson said.
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