Polling for the fourth phase of the District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir began on a dull note as fog and chilly weather kept most people indoors early on Monday, officials said.The polling for 34 DDC seats — 17 in the Kashmir division and 17 in the Jammu division — began at 7 am but the turnout was less at polling stations in the Valley due to biting cold, they said.
Voter turnout is expected to pick up later in the day, and polling is scheduled to conclude at 2 pm, the officials.
There are 138 candidates, including 48 women, in the fray in the Kashmir division, while in the Jammu division, 111 candidates, including 34 women, are contesting in the fourth of the eight-phase DDC polls, which began on November 28.
By-elections to vacant panch and sarpanch seats in the Union Territory are also being held along with the DDC polls.
There were 123 sarpanch vacancies notified in the fourth phase and out of these, 45 got filled unopposed. Polling is being conducted in 50 constituencies and 137 candidates, including 47 women, are in the fray, the officials said.
