Jammu and Kashmir: Seventh phase of panchayat polls underway amid tight security

Voting in the seventh phase of the nine-phased panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir began on Tuesday. As many as 5,575 candidates are in the fray for 341 sarpanch and 1,798 panch seats, while 85 sarpanch and 912 panch have been elected unopposed in this phase. Polling commenced at 2,700 polling stations at 8 am at 2,714 polling stations - 576 in Kashmir division and 2,138 in Jammu division.

The officials said 892 polling stations have been categorised as "hypersensitive" in this phase, including 428 in Kashmir division and 464 in Jammu division. As many as 4,75,865 voters are eligible to vote for sarpanch constituencies and 3,45,880 for panch constituencies, the officials said.

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A massive 84.6 per cent polling was witnessed in Jammu division, while only 17.3 per cent polling was recorded in Kashmir division in the sixth phase that concluded on December 1. In the fifth phase of polling on November 29, the state had witnessed a voting percentage of 71.1, wherein, in the fourth phase, the polling percentage was 71.

In the third phase, the state had recorded a polling percentage of 75.2, including 55.7 in the Kashmir division and 83 in the Jammu division.

The voting percentage was 71.1 in the second phase with an overwhelming 80.4 per cent polling in the Jammu division and 52.2 per cent in the Kashmir division.

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Similarly, in the first phase of polling on November 17, the voting percentage was 74.1, including 64.5 in the Kashmir division and 79.4 in the Jammu division.

The officials said at the end of six phases of the panchayat polls, an overall voter turnout of 73.6 per cent has been recorded in the state, with a poll percentage of 46.1 per cent in the Kashmir division and 82.8 per cent in the Jammu division.