More than seven lakh voters will decide the fate of 249 candidates contesting in the fourth phase of the District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.
The polling will be held between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. in 34 constituencies — 17 each in Kashmir and Jammu divisions.
Panchayat bypoll
Besides DDC election, polling will be held for panchayat bypoll in 50 vacant sarpanch seats and 216 vacant panch seats falling within the DDC constituencies, an official spokesman said.
So far, three phases of the maiden DDC elections, the first democratic exercise in Jammu and Kashmir after the reorganisation of the erstwhile State last year, were held on November 28, December 1 and December 4, registering a voter turnout of 51.76%, 48.62% and 50.53%, respectively.
In the 17 DDC constituencies of Kashmir division, 138 candidates, including 48 women, are in the fray. In Jammu division, 111 candidates, including 34 women, are contesting in this phase.
“There were 123 sarpanch vacancies notified in the 4th phase and out of these 45 have got filled unopposed. There shall be a contest in 50 constituencies and 137 candidates, including 47 women, are in the fray,” the spokesman said. Out of 1,207 panch vacancies notified in this phase, 416 have got filled unopposed.
In the 4th phase, he said, 7,17,322 voters are eligible to cast their votes.
