Srinagar: Voting for the first phase of general assembly elections began in Jammu and Kashmir with large queues seen outside the polling stations in Southern parts of Kashmir Valley.
The voting for 24 constituencies of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir started for Phase-I on Wednesday morning amid tight security.
During the first hours, the overall voting touched 50.65 percent with Inderwal recording highest 72.20 percent, Padder-Nagseni recording 71.08 percent, Kishtwar recording 67.58 percent, Doda West recording 66.75 while Tral recording the lowest of 32.87 percent, officials said. Among the seats in the Valley, Pahalgam recorded the highest turnout of 58.59 percent.
“I am casting a vote for the first time in my life.” says a 24 year old voter from Kulgam. “I hope this election turns fruitful for us and all the promises made by political parties are fulfilled.” He added.
It is in place to mention that the last assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir were held in 2014 and voting on Wednesday is the first major democratic exercise for assembly after the conversion of State into a Union Territory in August 2019.
Voting remained largely peaceful in all the seven districts of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
| Posted by Veena Nair | 
