68.72% turnout in phase III

Jammu, Oct 1: A voter turnout of 68.72 percent was recorded in the third and final phase of voting Tuesday in the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said.

Overall, after the conclusion of the all three phases, the poll percentage stands at 63.45, which is higher than the turnout recorded in the recently held Lok Sabha elections in the Union Territory, the J&K CEO office said in a statement here.

However, he said the figures are tentative and likely to go up marginally with the final reports from the polling stations in far-flung areas and addition of postal ballots.

According to EC data, there were more than 39.18 lakh eligible voters in the final phase.

"Poll percentage in first phase (covering 24 constituencies on September 18) was 61.38 percent, in second phase (covering 26 segments on September 25) it was 57.31 percent and in last third phase (covering 40 seats) poll percentage is 68.72 percent (tentative). Overall poll percentage comes to 63.45 percent (tentative)," the statement said.

The statement said the overall poll percentage in the assembly polls is far better than 57.89 percent recorded in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections and 61.01 percent in 2008 assembly elections.

However, it is slightly less than 65.84 percent in 2014 assembly elections, it said.

Highlighting the district-wise voter turnout in the last three elections -- two assembly polls (in 2008 and 2014) and one Lok Sabha elections (2024) -- the statement said the overall the poll percentage in the assembly elections in the Kashmir division remained 55.20 percent against 47.27 percent in Lok Sabha elections this year.

However, the 55.20 percent was less than 2014 assembly poll percentage of 65.84 percent and 2008 assembly poll percentage of 61.01 percent.

Similarly, the 72.59 percentage of the Jammu division recorded during the three phases of assembly elections is higher than 69.63 percent registered in Lok Sabha elections this year and 71.26 percent registered in 2008 assembly polls but lower compared to 2014 assembly elections when overall 76.67 percent polling was registered.

The statement said Srinagar, Pulwama, Shopian and Baramulla districts have set new records for voting this assembly election which is the best in the past three decades.

Srinagar recorded 30.08 percent polling this election compared to 24.83 percent in Lok Sabha polls, 27.75 percent in 2014 assembly elections and 21.57 percent in the 2008 assembly polls.

Likewise, Pulwama marked a slight improvement as it touched 46.99 percent (this time) against 46.05 percent in 2008. In the 2014 assembly elections, it registered 44.08 percent voting while it was 41.59 percent in the Lok Sabha elections.

Shopian also recorded the highest poll percentage of 57.01 percent in assembly elections this year compared to 43.88 percent in Lok Sabha elections (2024), 48.40 percent in the 2014 assembly elections and 50.65 percent in the 2008 assembly elections.

The Baramulla district recorded 59.84 percent polling in the 2024 assembly elections compared to 54.49 percent in Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, 57.29 percent in the 2014 assembly polls and 47.96 percent in the 2008 assembly polls.

In the Jammu region, Kishtwar district recorded the highest poll percentage (80.20 percent) followed by Udhampur (75.87 percent) then Samba (75.22 percent) and Reasi (74.68 percent).

Among the 90 constituencies, the statement said the highest poll percentage has been recorded in Inderwal (82.16 percent) followed by Padder-Nagseni (80.67 percent) and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra (80.45 percent) in this assembly elections.

The votes will be counted on October 8.