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A voter turnout of 58.19 per cent was recorded till 5 pm in the first phase of assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir held on Wednesday.
According to Election Commission data, Kishtwar recorded the highest turnout at 77.23 per cent followed by Doda at 69.33 per cent, Ramban (67.71 per cent), Kulgam (59.62 per cent), Shopian (53.64 per cent), and Anantnag (54.17 per cent). Pulwama recorded the lowest voter turnout at 43.87 per cent. Twenty four assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir went to the polls in the first phase. These include 16 seats in the Kashmir region and eight seats in the Jammu region Voting for the second and third phases in J-K will be held on September 25 and October 1, respectively. Votes will be counted on October 8. Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing an interesting contest with several political parties and independents in the fray. National Congress and Congress have formed an alliance though they are also in friendly contest on some seats. This is the first election in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370. Leaders have held hectic campaign to boost the prospects of their party candidates. Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, getting interim bail from a Delhi court has added another dimension to the election with his Awami Ittehad Party contesting the polls. Rashid contested the Lok Sabha elections as an Independent and defeated National Conference leader Omar Abdullah from the Baramulla seat. National Conference and PDP leaders have taken digs at BJP following Rashid's release from jail on bail. (ANI)
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