Jammu and Kashmir Polls: Stage set for first phase of local body elections to seal the fate of 1,283 candidates in J&K. LIVE UPDATES

Update at 3:52 PM: Poll percentage up to 3:00 PM
 

Overall: 77.42%

• MC Rajouri: 71.91% 
• MC Kalakote: 83.77 %
• MC Nowshera: 80.58%
• MC Thanamandi: 85.86%
• MC Sunderbani: 86.48 %

Update at 12:14 PM: Voter turn out report till 11:00 am: 

Update at 11:39 AM: District wise percentage:

MC Rajouri: 20.98%
MC Kalakote: 28.99%
MC Thanamandi: 31.55%
MC Nowshera:  24.90% 
MC Sunderbani: 26.20%

Update at 10:00 AM: Voting details:

Budgam - 17 votes

Srinagar - more than 500 votes

Bandipora - 150 votes

Kupwara - 150 votes 

Kokernag - 73 votes

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After a gap of 13 years, the state of Jammu and Kashmir is all set to cast vote for the local body elections on Monday at 7 am that will seal the fate of 1,283 candidates. As many as 2,990 candidates are in the fray for the four-phase election, which will end on October 16.

The number of wards:

22 of the state's 1,100 municipal wards will go to polls. The list includes:

• Jammu: 247 wards
• Kashmir: 149 wards
• Ladakh: 26 wards

 

Security arrangements:

Under a thick layer of security, the state will witness the first phase of civic polls. As per officials:

• Many check-points have been placed in the city where vehicles are being checked
• Sniffer dogs are also being used to check vehicles
• Heavy security has been deployed in and around the polling booths

Read: Raking Up Article 35A, Farooq Abdullah Announces That JKNC Won't Contest Upcoming J&K Local Body And Panchayat Polls

Earlier in September, the state's chief electoral officer announced that a four-phase election to urban local bodies from October 8. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer Shaleen Kabra had said on September 16:

"Around 58 lakh electorate will be eligible to vote in the 35,096 panchayat constituencies. The notification for the first phase will be issued on October 23".

Even as Jammu and Kashmir will witness the first phase of civic polls on Monday, the two key parties in the Valley, National Conference and People's Democratic Party will boycott the elections.

"JKNC will not participate in these elections till the govt of India and the state government clears its position in this regard and takes effective steps for the protection of Article 35A in and outside the court", Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) patron Farooq Abdullah had said. 

On the other hand, former J-K CM Mehbooba Mufti had called the central government's plea in Supreme Court to link the decision on 35A with Panchayat and urban bodies elections a 'disastrous idea'.

Read: Two Panchayat Ghar Set On Fire By Miscreants In Jammu And Kashmir, 7th Incident In The Last Four Days

Talking about the decision taken by NC and PDP, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik had said that "boycotting election will not affect 35A".

"Boycotting election will not affect 35A anyway either positive or negative it's only an excuse. If political party want to fight on 35A they should appoint their lawyers".