Overall situation remains peaceful’: IGP
SEC prohibits exit polls before conclusion of DDC elections
Suhail Khan
Srinagar, Nov 28 : State Election Commissioner (SEC) K K Sharma Saturday said that amid Covid-19 pandemic and bone chilling cold in Kashmir and some parts of Jammu, a large number of people participated in the first ever District Development Council (DDC) polls and 51.7 per cent voting was recorded for the phase one in J&K UT.
Addressing a press conference in Jammu, SEC Sharma said that barring small incident of stone pelting in Kulgam district of South Kashmir, election process for the phase-1 of DDC polls passed off peacefully. “There was a small incident of stone pelting (at Kulgam).
Police have already taken cognizance of the incident,” he said.Sharma said that 43 DDC constituencies went to polls where 7 lakh voters were registered. “Total per cent of voting for J&K UT was 51.7.
In Jammu, voting per cent was 64.2 percent and in Kashmir, poll 40. 65 percent voting was recorded,” he said.In Jammu, highest percentage of voting was recording in Reasi 74.6 percent with 70.5 per cent in Rajouri, 68.9 in Poonch and 68 per cent in Samba. “In South Kashmir, highest voting was recorded in Shopian at 42.58 per cent,” Sharma said.
“In the phase one, 43 constituencies went for poll in J&K of which 25 were in Kashmir and 18 in Jammu,” the SEC said.He said the first phase recorded large participation of people and most of the voting took place between 7 am to 8 am. “Out of the 362000 votes polled, 193000 were male and 169,000 were females,” Sharma said.
The SEC, congratulated all the candidates including those who fought independently for taking part in the DDC polls.Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar said that overall situations remained under control throughout Kashmir division barring one incident of minor stone pelting in which a voter was injured at polling location CR Pora in Kulgam district.
He said an FIR has registered at police station DH Pora and investigation taken up.
In the first phase of DDC polls, Internet Service was suspended in twin districts of South Kashmir’s Pulwama and Shopian due to security reasons.
Pertinently, The State Election Commission, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has prohibited the conduct of any exit poll and publishing/displaying of the result of exit poll by means of the print or electronic media or in any other manner in the ongoing District development Council Elections till the last phase of the elections.
In this regard, an order issued by State Election Commissioner, KK Sharma read, “In exercise of powers conferred under Section 36 of the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act 1989, the Election Authority (State Election Commission) hereby prohibits the conduct of any exit poll and publishing or publicizing/displaying the result of exit poll by means of the print or electronic media or in any other manner in the ongoing District development Council Elections in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir, till the hour fixed for conclusion of poll in the last phase of these elections, i.e. 2:00 PM on 19th December’.
