Back43% polling in J&K
Polling was peaceful in Ladakh, but many incidents of violence were reported from various parts of Baramulla
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Srinagar: Over 43% of 13.57 lakh voters in Jammu and Kashmir voted in the last leg of the five phased elections on Wednesday.
Nineteen candidates are in the fray for Baramulla and Ladakh Lok Sabha seats.
Baramulla constituency, where National Conference sitting MP Sharief-ud-din Shariq is locked in multi-cornered contest, recorded 39.6% polling, while Ladakh saw a turnout of 65% where the contest is among four candidates.
In 2009, Baramulla had recorded a voter turnout of 41.84%, while Ladakh had recorded 71.86% polling. five years back.
Chief Electoral Officer of Jammu and Kashmir Umang Narula said the turnout figures might change, as final reports from some of the polling stations are awaited, he said.
Kupwara district in Baramulla registered the highest voter turnout of 63.19% followed by Bandipora at 35.65%; Baramulla recorded 25.04%.
The constituency has a total of 11,96,120 voters, Narula said.
In Ladakh constituency, which has 1,59,631 voters, Kargil led with 65.80%. Leh district which is also part of the constituency witnessed 64% polling.
The voting in the two constituencies began at 7am slowly but picked pace as the day progressed, faring much better than Anantnag and Srinagar parliamentary Lok Sabha seats, which went to polls on 24 April and 30 April, recording a low voter turnout of 27% and 26% respectively.
Polling was peaceful in Ladakh, but several incidents of violence were reported from various parts of Baramulla since Tuesday, including attacks on two polling stations and a security forces camp, which left five security personnel injured.
Meanwhile, militants opened fire on a police station falling under Sopore assembly segment in Baramulla constituency, police sources said.
The ultras fled when the police retaliated, they said.
There was no casualty reported in the brief exchange of fire which took place at around 7.40pm.
Sopore assembly segment, the home town of Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guroo and chairman of the hard-line faction Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Shah Geelani, recorded the lowest turnout of just 1.02%.
Incidents of stone-pelting were reported from many places in Baramulla, Palhallan and Bandipora towns but there was no report of injury, officials said.
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