The first phase of Jammu and Kashmir panchayat elections recorded 74% percent voter turnout on Saturday, 17 November, even as some parts of the Valley observed a shutdown called by the separatists.
Kashmir Divisional Commissioner, Baseer Ahmad Khan, told The Quint that no incidents of violence or disruptions were reported during polling hours on Saturday, but a Panchayat Ghar in Kupwara’s Nutnusa was torched by miscreants in the evening.
Unlike the recent urban local body polls in J&K, large number of voters participated in the panchayat elections. However, polling percentage was modest in 15 blocks across Kashmir, and no polling was conducted in Budgam’s Rathsun as very few candidates had filed nomination papers.
In the 86 Panchayat Halqas of Rathsun, two candidates were declared winners without a contest and there was no polling in the remaining 84 halqas. Out of the 10 Sarpanch halqas of the region, three candidates won unopposed while no one filed nominations for the other 7 seats.
69.10% Voter Turnout in Baramulla
Polling officials said that the turnout was 70% in Kupwara district, 69.1% in Baramulla, 56.20% in Bandipora, 30.14% in Budgam and 21.80% in Srinagar.
In the Ladakh region, 77.7% turnout was recorded in Kargil district and 60% in Leh.
With the aggregate turnout of 64.1%, as many as 1.05 lakh exercised their right to vote in Kashmir division, that includes Kargil and Leh districts of Ladakh.
An overall turnout of 79.5% was recorded in Jammu division as 2.35 lakh out of 2.95 lakh residents cast their votes. Officials said that the turnout was 83.6% in Udhampur district, 80.8% in Doda, 80% in Kathua, 78.9% in Rajouri, 78.7% in Poonch, 78.2% in Ramban and 74.1% in Kishtwar.
The first phase of elections was held in 30 blocks of Kashmir and 21 blocks of Jammu. Around 58 lakh voters are eligible to vote in the 35,096 panch constituencies in 316 blocks across the state. Nearly 5,000 sarpanches are also in the fray.
Polling will be conducted in nine phases from 17 November to 11 December.
A Vote for Democracy?
Unlike the urban local body (ULB), Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir are held on a non-party, non-political basis.
The National Conference and the Poeples Democratic Party (PDP) had boycotted the ULB and panchayat elections over alleged “tinkering” with Article 35-A. However, members of both the parties were seen contesting or voting on Saturday.
J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik complimented the civil and police administration for ensuring fair and peaceful polling across the state on Saturday. He said that the high turnout was proof of a clear mandate by the people of the state.
“At 64% voting in Kashmir division, the Valley has given a thumbs up to strengthening the grassroots democracy.”Satya Pal Malik, J&K Governor
The Governor added he was hopeful that voters will participate in the next 8 phases of the elections to ensure a newly-empowered Panchayati Raj System in Jammu and Kashmir.
Panchayat elections were last held in the state in 2011. Polling could not be held since 2016 due to unrest in the Valley after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in July that year.
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