JAMMU: Thirty-one constituencies are set to go for polling in the seventh phase of District Development Council (DDC) polls along with 438 Panch and 69 Sarpanch seats across Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference here, State Election Commissioner (SEC) KK Sharma informed that a total of 31 DDC constituencies will go to polls including 13 seats from Kashmir division and 18 from Jammu division.
Giving further details, the SEC said that in the 13 DDC constituencies of Kashmir division, there are 148 candidates in fray including 34 females. In Jammu division, there are 150 candidates in fray for the 18 DDC constituencies in this phase, including 38 females.
A total of 6,87,115 electors (3,59,187 male and 3,27,928 female voters) are going to elect their representatives in all 31 DDC constituencies, he said, and added that a total of 1852 polling stations have been designated with 1068 in Kashmir division and 784 in Jammu division.
The SEC further informed that of 117 Sarpanch vacancies notified in the 7th phase, 30 have been elected unopposed. There shall be a contest in 69 constituencies where 231 candidates including 79 females are in fray.
Of the total 1270 Panch vacancies notified in this phase, 416 are elected unopposed and 438 constituencies will go for elections with 1000 candidates contesting the elections including 287 female candidates.
The SEC said that all the requisite arrangements for this phase are in place including man power, election material and security arrangements in all poll going areas.
Referring to the arrangements in place in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, the SEC said adequate arrangements have been put in place to ensure safety of all stakeholders including the voters coming to vote at the polling stations. ‘Sanitizers, thermal scanners and face masks have been arranged at the polling stations to ensure that SOPs issued by the concerned authorities, including wearing face masks and maintaining social distancing, are strictly followed at the polling stations,” he said.

KR Desk