By IANS,
Srinagar : Polling for the eighth phase of the Jammu and Kashmir panchayat elections ended Thursday afternoon with high voter turnout recorded in many blocks of the state, officials said.
Voting was held in B.K. Pora block in Badgam district, Shahabad in Anantnag, Trehgam in Kupwara, Rafiabad in Baramulla and three blocks of Akhnoor in Jammu district, Barnoti in Kathua and Sunderbani in Rajouri.
At least 75 percent of the electorate exercised their franchise in Trehgam, 53 percent in B.K. Pora, 75 percent in Rafiabad and 63 percent in Shahabad blocks.
Voting started at 8 a.m and ended at 2 p.m.
Since the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act does not permit the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs), paper ballots were used.
The votes are counted and results declared the same day. The 16-phased elections end June 16.