Municipal elections conclude in JK, Poll bound areas shut on JRL’s call

Nissar Shaheen :

Srinagar, Oct 16 : The four-phased Municipal elections in Jammu and Kashmir that started from October 08 culminated in the state on Tuesday.
The fourth phase that culminated today recorded 4.2 percentage of total turnout in Ganderbal and Srinagar districts of central Kashmir.
Srinagar recorded only 4.0 voter turnout today while as Ganderbal recorded 11.3 percent till 04 pm, officials said, adding that the total voter turnout report at 4 pm was 4.2 percent.
At least 930 candidates in the region had filed their nomination papers for the four-phased ULB polls while as 215 candidates from different wards across the valley emerged as winner unopposed.
Notably, the two regional parties including National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stayed away from the polls, citing situation in the Valley.
Meanwhile, in view of the call given by Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), a complete shutdown was observed in the poll bound areas today to protest against the ongoing ULB elections that culminated today in Jammu and Kashmir.
JRL comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik had called for a complete shutdown in poll bound areas today, urging people to stay away from polls today.
All the shops and business establishments remained closed in the poll bound areas today while as traffic was also thin on the roads throughout the day.
Besides, restrictions were also imposed in several areas in Old city here where police and paramilitary troopers had erected concertina wires on the roads, thus halting the pedestrians as well as vehicular movement.
Meanwhile, the state police said that all the four phases of ULB polls culminated peacefully.
Earlier in a day, the Kashmir police said that the fourth and final phase of ULB elections was going on smoothly.
The Kashmir zone police later said that the four final phase of ULB polls has concluded peacefully, saying that “we thank citizens for helping us in keeping their neighbourhood peaceful.”
Meanwhile, clashes erupted between youth and forces in Soura area of Srinagar near the polling booth.
Witnesses said that the youth took to streets and started pelting stones on the forces, deployed near the polling booth.
They said that the forces in retaliation used teargas canisters to disperse the agitating youth.
Meanwhile, a top police official said that barring a few stone pelting incidents, the situation across the Valley especially in poll bound areas remained peaceful and under control.