By IANS,
Srinagar : Polling in the third phase of Jammu and Kashmir’s panchayat elections ended Thursday afternoon with a large number of enthusiastic voters joining the democratic process to choose village heads.
Polling started at 8 a.m. and concluded at 2 p.m. in five blocks of the Valley and five blocks in the Jammu region.
“According to preliminary figures, in the Valley, 56 percent votes were polled in north Kashmir Ganderbal district, 62 percent in south Kashmir Kulgam district, 78 percent in north Kashmir Sogam block, 65 percent in Boniyar and 72 percent in Chadoora blocks that went to the polls today.
“In the Jammu region, 78 percent votes were polled in Parmandal block, 78 percent in Ghagwal, 73 percent in Dudu, 70 percent in Ramnagar and 74 percent in Satwari blocks,” said a poll official here.
As bright sunshine greeted the Valley after five days of incessant rains, a large number of men and women came out in Wayil and Nuner villages of Ganderbal block where Panchayat polls were held.
In Nuner village polls had to be countermanded by the authorities as a large number of villagers who had gathered to vote at two polling stations discovered their names did not figure in the voter lists.
“Agitated villagers indulged in violence at these two poll stations and polls have been countermanded.
“Fresh polling will take place at these two polling stations on April 25. Votes polled in the other eight polling stations of Nuner village have been sealed in ballot boxes and deposited in the Ganderbal treasury.
“The sealed ballot boxes will be carried back to the polling stations in the village on April 25 and counted in presence of the contestants after fresh polling is concluded at the two polling stations,” said the poll official.
Reports of minor clashes between supporters of contesting candidates have also come in from Shallabugh village of Ganderbal district, but polls finally ended there peacefully, officials said.
Votes are being counted at the polling stations where panchayat elections were held so that the results are declared by the evening.
Instead of the electronic voting machines (EVMs), paper ballots are used for the panchayat polls process in Jammu and Kashmir state.