Polling for the fifth phase of the District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir began on a dull note as winter chill kept most people indoors early on Thursday, officials said.
The polling for 37 DDC seats -- 17 in the Kashmir division and 20 in the Jammu division -- began at 7 AM but few people turned up at polling stations in the valley due to freezing weather conditions, they said.
A total of 155 candidates, including 30 females, are in the fray for 17 DDC constituencies in the Kashmir division.
Meanwhile, Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has said, "Security forces have cordoned Matribugh in Shopian and are not allowing people to come out to vote under the pretext of inputs about the presence of militants. In a brazen display of power, armed forces are being used to rig this election and favour a particular party."
Here are the updates:
4:00 pm The keepers of the law are more than happy to become law breakers if it serves their interest of cosying up to the BJP & it’s offshoots in Kashmir. The entire machinery of the administration has taken upon itself the responsibility of helping the BJP in the DDC polls: Omar Abdullah
2:00: pm: Bandipora district of north Kashmir recorded the highest 32.22 percent polling in the valley, while Rajouri district of Jammu region recorded the highest 44.54 percent votes across J&K till 11 AM.
12:35 pm: 26.54% polling recorded till 11 am in the fifth phase of DDC elections in J&K with 35.59% in Jammu and 16.22% in Kashmir.
11:00 am: Voters arrive at a polling station in Ganderbal during the fifth phase of District Development Council elections.
Jammu and Kashmir: Voters arrive at a polling station in Ganderbal to exercise their voting rights during the fifth phase of District Development Council elections pic.twitter.com/jhVE943J6C
— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2020
10: 35 am: 9.46% polling has been recorded in the 5th phase of DDC elections in J&K till 9 am with 4.81% in Kashmir and 13.58% in Jammu.
10:30 am: Voters arrive at a polling station during the fifth phase of District Development Council (DDC) elections in the Udhampur district.
Jammu and Kashmir: Voters arrive at a polling station to exercise their voting rights during the fifth phase of District Development Council (DDC) elections in the Union Territory.
— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2020
Visuals from Khoon village in Udhampur district. pic.twitter.com/OGuPngV5D3