J&K records 57.31% turnout in first phase of LS polls: CEO

JAMMU — Incident free voting marked first phase of polling in Jammu and Baramulla Parliamentary constituencies of J&K with a total voter turnout of 57.31 percent.

Addressing media persons here at a press conference, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) J&K Shailendra Kumar said that Jammu Parliamentary Constituency, spread over four districts of Jammu, Samba, Rajouri and Poonch, with 20 Assembly segments, recorded a huge overall voter turnout of 72.16 percent.

The voter turnout was highest in Samba district at 75.07 percent followed by 74.50 percent in Jammu district, while twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri recorded 70.40 percent and 65.70 percent, respectively, the CEO informed.

Baramulla Parliamentary Constituency comprising three districts of Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora, having 15 Assembly segments, recorded 34.61 percent polling with highest turnout of 51.7 percent in Kupwara district.

He said that there are 33 candidates in fray for twin constituencies, including 24 for Jammu PC and 9 for Baramulla PC. He said that the polling was held under the supervision of 12 General Observers, 8 Expenditure Observers and 7 Police Observers, besides 462 micro observers, while 7692 staff was deployed across 4489 polling stations in the two PCs on poll day.

Giving further details, he said the twin PCs have over 33 lakh voters, 17.16 lakh male, 16.80 lakh female.

The CEO complimented voters, political parties, contesting candidates, polling staff and government forces for smooth and peaceful conduct of polling in the state.

Divisional Commissioner Jammu Sanjeev Verma, IGP Jammu Manish Kumar Sinha, RO Jammu PC Ramesh Kumar and Additional CEO Rakesh Kumar Sarangal were also present at the press conference.