J&K: 76% polling in final phase

Addressing a press conference in Jammu, the Chief Electoral Officer said the highest turnout was recorded with 83.20 percent in Bani and lowest as 60 percent in Gandhinagar.

The Chief Electoral Officer said 20 Assembly constituencies that went to polls were spread over three districts for which as many as 2391 polling stations were set up, which included 278 hypersensitive ones.

As many as 213 candidates, including Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, Ministers Sham Lal Sharma, Raman Bhalla, Manohar Lal Sharma, Ajay Sadhotra, former MP and ministers Lal Singh, Talib Hussain (both BJP) and Jitendra Babu Singh and former Deputy Speaker Hyder Malik were in the fray.

He said elaborate arrangements were made to facilitate voters to exercise their franchise in a free and fair atmosphere, adding that the polling percentage may increase after consolidation of figures.

Narula said that the overall percentage for the 2014 Assembly Elections of all the five phases has been recorded as 66%, which is 5% more than the 2008 Assembly Elections, where the overall voter percentage stood at 61 percent.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Jammu thrice during the campaign, to urge voters for vote in favour of his party candidate.

The Prime Minister tweeted: "Record overall turnout in J&K and Jharkhand Assembly polls is a victory of democracy. I congratulate the people of these states."

Jammu and Kashmir will witness counting on Dec 23.

(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)