85.2 % voting in Jammu, 33.7 % in Kashmir: Panchayat polls

In the fifth phase of polling for the Panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir 71.1 per cent voter turnout was recorded. While the Jammu division witnessed 85.2 percent voter turnout the voting percentage remained abysmally low at 33.7 per cent in the Kashmir division.

The voting percentage remained lowest in district Pulwama with 0.5 per cent voter turnout. On the other hand, the highest percentages of votes were polled in Resai district with 89.1 per cent electorates exercising their franchise.

Regions like Kupwara, Bandipora, Baramulla, Ganderbal, Budgam and Anantnag saw low voter turnout of 42.5 percent, 34.6 percent, 32.9 percent, 20.3 percent , 34.8 percent and 10.1 percent respectively.

While the regions like Doda, Ramban, Udhampur, Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch witnessed 83.3 per cent, 85.2 per cent, 82 per cent, 88.9 per cent, 82.8 per cent and 84.5 per cent respectively.

The Panchayat elections are being held in the nine phases in the state with the sixth phase of polling scheduled to be held on December 1. Despite terror threat and boycott call by two major outfits in the region- National Conference and People's Democratic Party (PDP) voters came out in large number to exercise their franchise in the fifth phase.