Jammu & Kashmir polls: Nearly 10 per cent voting recorded till 10 AM

JAMMU: Moderate to brisk voting was today recorded in the first couple of hours in the nine seats in Jammu and as many in Kashmir Valley with boycott calls by separatists and militants and the cold weather failing to dampen the enthusiasm of voters who queued up in large numbers.

Nearly 10 per cent of the 15.35 lakh electorate exercised their franchise in the first two hours of polling while serpentine queues could be seen at many polling stations as voters waited for their turn.

In the second phase of the five-phase Assembly elections, a total of 15.35 lakh eligible voters would decide the fate of 175 candidates, including four sitting ministers of the coalition government.

As per the Election Department, there has been over nearly 9.72 per cent polling recorded in the state till 1000 hours today.

Reasi Assembly segment has recorded the highest number of 19.95 per cent polling, followed by Udhampur with 18.76 per cent, Gool Arnas with 18.04 per cent, Gulabgarh with 17.99 per cent, it said.

Similarly, Ramnagar Assembly segment recorded 16.96 per cent polling, Chenani with 11.38 per cent, Mendhar with 11 per cent, Noorabad and Lolab with 10.50 per cent each, Surankote with 9.85, Karnah with 9 per cent, Poonch Haveli with 8.80, Kulgam with 8.18, it said.

However, lowest polling took place in Home Shalibugh 1.20 per cent followed by Langate 3.50 per cent, Kupwara and Handwara with 4 per cent each and Devsar with 4.5 per cent.

Enthusiastic voters queued outside polling stations in Udhampur, Poonch, Chenani, Ramnagar and Reasi constituencies, while the voter turnout was low in morning in Gulabgarh, Gool Arnas, Mendhar and Poonch Havelli constituencies of the Jammu region.