J-K local polls: Jammu records 57 pc voting till 12 am

An estimated 57 per cent of over 1.28 lakh electorate Wednesday cast their votes in the first six hours of polling in the second phase of the four-phased urban local bodies elections in the region, officials said.

The voting covering six districts of Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban, Reasi, Udhampur and Kathua recorded a turnout of 57 per cent till 12 am, the officials said, quoting information from district elections offices.

"Brisk polling is going on and there was no report of any untoward incidents reported from anywhere," the officials said.

Ramban district is leading the voter turnout chart with 62.9 per cent, out of 5533 electorate, exercising their franchise followed by Reasi (60.8 per cent of 10204 voters), Kathua (59.4 per cent of 54,622 voters), Doda (57.8 per cent of 13396 voters), Kishtwar (55.9 per cent of 8830 voters) and Udhampur (59.4 per cent of 35,519 voters), they said.

The polling will seal the fate of 881 candidates for 214 wards, while four candidates have been elected unopposed in this phase in Jammu region.

Long queues were witnessed outside the polling stations across all the districts since this morning to select their local representatives.

The first phase of the polling was held on October 8 after a gap of 13 years and registered a voter turnout of 56.6 per cent.

The third phase of the polling is scheduled for October 13 followed by fourth and final phase on October 16. The counting of votes will be held on October 20.