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Journalism of Courage
A day after the Jammu and Kashmir election office changed election timings, advancing it by an hour to 6 am and hoping to encourage a better voter turnout, the poll percentage dipped further as the Valley voted in the second phase of the municipal elections Wednesday. By the end of day, the official figures showed only 3.3 per cent votes were cast in the Valley — down from 8.2 per cent in Monday’s first-phase voting.
At Parimpora, Srinagar, the staff at five polling booths opened the gates for voters at 6 am, half-an-hour before sunrise. No voter turned up even after 10 hours — not one vote, out of 4,052, was polled at these five booths.
Sumbal in Bandipore at 35.6 per cent, recorded the highest voting in the Valley. The lowest turnout —1.1 per cent — was recorded in Anantnag Municipal Council.
Read | J&K urban local body polls: Nearly 80% voting in Jammu, Doda, Kishtwar also see high polling
In 20 wards of Srinagar Municipal Corporation, only 4,144 people (2.3 per cent) out of 1,77,183 voters came out to vote. Most voters at polling booths in Srinagar kept their faces covered. In Langate Municipal Committee of Kupwara district, only two out of 13 wards went to the polls. Candidates at 11 wards had been elected unopposed. Of 609 voters in these two wards, only 33 votes were cast. In Watergam municipal committee, only 19 voters out of 270 came out to vote at one ward. Candidates were elected unopposed at 12 wards.
Read | J-K urban local body polls: 1 in 3 voters turn up in Sumbal, discuss local issues
Ten municipal committees, one municipal council and 20 wards of Srinagar Municipal Corporation were scheduled to go to the polls on Wednesday. There was no voting in seven municipal committees since there was no candidate, or the candidates won unopposed.
Of 160 wards, voting was held for 43. There were no candidates for 56 wards, and candidate on 61 wards were elected unopposed.
Read | J&K urban local body polls: In Mufti stronghold – Anantnag, voters stay away
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