With voting underway for the fifth phase of District Development Council (DDC) polls in Jammu and Kashmir, former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti alleged that the armed forces were being used to rig the elections to “favour a particular party”. In a tweet, Mufti said, “Security forces have cordoned Matribugh in Shopian & are not allowing people to come out to vote under the pretext of inputs about presence of militants. In a brazen display of power, armed forces are being used to rig this election & favour a particular party .”
The polling began at 7 am Thirsday. Phase five of the DDC polls recorded an overall voting percentage of 51.20%. Kashmir – 33.57% and Jammu – 66.67%. There was a marginal uptick in Shopian at 5.52%. Pulwama remains in single digit at 8.12%. Bandipora recorded 56.40% polling and Poonch at 71.62%.
In Kashmir Division, Pulwama had recorded a voting percentage of 4.83%, Baramulla 23.31%, Kulgam 15.19%, Shopian 1.98%, Anantnag 9.88%, Bandipora 32.22%, Ganderbal 17.21%, Kupwara 19.74% and Budgam 25.42% till 11:00 am.Similarly, in Jammu division, Kishtwar has recorded voting percentage of 35.21%, Udhampur 27.13%, Jammu 33.64%, Kathua 33.72%, Ramban 34.95%, Doda 35.23%, Samba 40.41%, Poonch 36.23%, Rajouri 44.54% and Reasi 33.56% till 11:00 am.
A total of 155 candidates, including 30 females, are in the fray for 17 DDC constituencies in the Kashmir division. In the Jammu division, 144 candidates, including 40 females, are in the fray for 20 constituencies. Polling is also being held for panch and sarpanch vacancies notified in the fifth phase.In this phase, 8,27,519 electors, including 4,33,285 males and 3,94,234 females, are eligible to cast their votes. As many as 2,104 polling stations have been setup across the union territory — 914 in the Jammu division and 1,190 in the Kashmir division. Of these polling stations, 1,193 are hypersensitive, 472 are sensitive and 439 have been categorised as normal.
