The first phase of the first District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir has concluded today. During this period, after the removal of Article 370, there was a huge turnout in the first election in the state. Total turnout in the first phase of this election is 51.76%. Jammu and Kashmir recorded 40.65 per cent growth.
64.2% voter turnout in Jammu and 40.65% in Kashmir: KK Sharma, State Election Commissioner #DDCE options https://t.co/4aGD6qpBUp pic.twitter.com/fVXSCIB2rp
– ANI (@ANI) November 28, 2020
The DDC election is viewed as a triangular contest between the Declaration Alliance (PAGD), the BJP, and former Finance Minister Altaf Bukhari’s own party. According to officials, 1,475 candidates are in the first stage. Voting in Jammu and Kashmir is going smoothly and there are no reports of any unpleasant incidents at present, officials said.
Let me tell you, this is the first election here since Article 370 was removed from Jammu and Kashmir. Currently, the state has been given Union Territory status. Since the PDP government fell in June 2018, the state has not held an assembly election. Before repealing Article 370 there was no three-tier panchayat system (village level, block level, district level) in Jammu and Kashmir. The DDC was added to the new body after amending the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act of 1989.
DDC will be formed in a total of 20 districts, including 10 in the Jammu region and 10 in the Kashmir Valley. There will be 14 constituencies in each district so that DDC representatives will be selected by voting for a total of 280 constituencies in the entire central region.
Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir State Election Commissioner KK Sharma had told the DDC that the elections would be held in eight phases from November 28 to December 19. All systems are complete, including security and verification. The first and second phase will be held in remote areas. The Department of Health is involved in implementing the COVID Guidelines.
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