Jammu and Kashmir: 98.3 Per Cent Polling Recorded In First-Ever BDC Polls

The maiden Block Development Council (BDC) election in Jammu and Kashmir recorded a 98.3 per cent turnout on Thursday, with Congress, NC and PDP boycotting the first electoral exercise after abrogation of the state's special status. Srinagar in the Kashmir division, which has seen curbs since the Centre's decision to scrap special status on August 5, recorded a 100 per cent turnout.

"98.3 per cent polling was recorded in J-K", Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shailendra Kumar said.

The polls to elect chairpersons of BDCs were held in 310 blocks in the state and 1,092 candidates were in the fray, of whom 27 were elected unopposed. 

There were 26,629 electors -- 8,313 women and 18,316 men -- for the polls to elect chairpersons of BDCs, which are organisations in the second tier of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), officials said.

PRIs have three levels -- village, block and district -- and election for the first tier were held last year, which was also boycotted by the National Conference (NC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP).

The poll percentage for the 10 districts in the Kashmir region was 93.65 per cent and 99.4 per cent for the 10 districts in the Jammu region, Kumar said.

Srinagar recorded a 100 per cent turnout, the highest in the Valley, while Shopian and Pulwama districts saw turnouts of 85.3 and 86.2 per cent respectively, the lowest in the region, he said.   

In the Jammu region, Reasi saw a 99.7 per cent turnout and Jammu 99.5 per cent. Ladakh recorded 97.8 per cent polling, Kumar said, adding that the election was held through secret ballot.

The highest number of candidates were in north Kashmir's Kupwara district (101) and the lowest in south Kashmir's Shopian (4).

There are 316 blocks in the state, but the election will be held in 310 as two are without elected panches and sarpanches, and four blocks reserved for women have no women candidates, the officials said.

Congress, CPI(M), NC and PDP did not take part in the elections, which are being held on party basis, leaving the field open to the BJP, that had candidates in 280 blocks, and Independents.

The Congress had announced its decision to boycott the elections citing "indifferent attitude" of the state administration and continued detention of its leaders in Kashmir. 

The NC had slammed the decision to hold BDC elections, alleging it is "the biggest mockery of democracy" to hold polls when the entire leadership of the state is "under detention".

There was one polling station for one BDC, and accordingly, 283 polling stations were setup in the state, one in each block where elections were held, the officials said.