79.4% turnout in Jammu region, polling peaceful

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 17

The nine-phased panchayat poll on Saturday began on a high note in Jammu division with rural voters turning up in large numbers to exercise their franchise in the first phase, notwithstanding the boycott call, terror threats and the decision of the NC and PDP to stay away from elections. The region recorded an impressive 79.4 per cent polling.

Enthusiasm marked the six-hour polling process across the region where 1,993 polling stations were set up for the smooth conduct of polling. At least 196 polling stations were categorised as hypersensitive.

Barring sporadic incidents of scuffles and minor clashes between supporters, the polling went off peacefully in all the 21 blocks spreading over seven districts, including Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Poonch, Rajouri, Udhampur and Kathua. In the Ghambir Muglan area of Panjgrain block of Rajouri district, the police detained a contesting candidate and some of his supporters after they tried to disturb the poll process. Similarly, some disputes were also reported from Marmat and Dogrian areas of Poonch district but timely action of the district administration settled the issues and polling remained peaceful there as well.

From first-time voters to centenarians, all queued up outside polling stations to elect their sarpanches and panches for which elections were held after a delay of almost two and a half years. If the 106-year-old Giano Devi exercised her franchise in the Bani block, Madho Lal, a 105-year-old voter, who was a professional beekeeper prior to Independence, made it to the polling station in the Gandoh area of Doda district.

Interestingly, the remote Dacchan block of Kishtwar also witnessed a keen contest between two highly educated youth for the sarpanch seat. While one of the candidates was a PhD, the other candidate was having two postgraduate degrees. In Jammu division, the remote and hilly areas of Udhampur district reported the highest poll percentage in the district with Moungri block recording 86.75 per cent voting followed by 85.84 per cent voting in Panchari and 83.49 per cent in the Latti Marothi block.

Similarly, the Muslim-majority Surankote block of Poonch district registered 81 per cent voting.