Record turnout of 66 per cent in J&K

Jammu and Kashmir today witnessed highest voter turnout in over two decades as estimated 66 per cent electorate voted in 20 constituencies of Jammu's border region in the last leg of assembly election in the state amid threat of firing from across the border.
"Total 66 per cent of polling has been registered in all the phases of Jammu and Kashmir and last phase in Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri has registered highest 76 per cent polling today," Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), J&K Umang Narula told reporters here, adding that it is further likely to increase.
This year's turnout is 5.51 per cent more than 2008 Assembly elections, 22.30 per cent than 2002 polls and 12.08 per cent than state elections of 1996, while 74.88 per cent polling was recorded in 1987.

In the five-phased assembly elections in the state, the first phase recorded 71.28 per cent followed by 72.10 per cent in second phase, 58 per cent in third phase and 49 per cent in fourth phase.
The CEO said that no untoward incidents were reported in the polling today.
Despite cold weather, serpentine queues of people were seen outside the polling booths.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who stood in a queue for over half an hour here, exercised his right of franchise and thanked the people for coming out in large numbers to vote.
"I thank the people who are coming out in large numbers to vote. It is a victory for democracy and defeat of all other forces against the democratic process," he told reporters at a polling station in Gandhinagar.

District Electoral Officer (Jammu) Ajeet Kumar Sahu said polling was peaceful and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere.
Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and four of his cabinet colleagues are among 213 candidates whose fate will be decided today.