SRINAGAR/JAMMU: Over 22 per cent polling was recorded till 11 am in the first ever District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, with Samba district recording the highest voting percentage at 36.40 and Pulwama the lowest at 3.51 so far, officials said.
The eight-phase DDC polls are also the maiden elections in Jammu and Kashmir since it was reorganised as a union territory last year, and it is being held along with byelections to panchayats.
"The first phase of the DDC elections recorded a voter percentage of 22.12 per cent across different constituencies spread over all districts of Jammu and Kashmir till 11:00 am," an official said.
Polling is underway in different blocks since 7 am and there is no immediate report of any untoward incident.
It is scheduled to end at 2 pm, the official said.
The DDC election is being seen as a triangular contest among the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), the BJP and the Apni Party floated by former finance minister Altaf Bukhari.
In the first phase, as many as 1,475 candidates are in the fray, according to officials.
In the union territory's Kashmir division, Shopian district has so far recorded the highest polling percentage at 29.34, according to figures released by the office of the Jammu and Kashmir Election Commissioner.
The percentage in Budgam was 28.47, in Anantnag 23.46, in Ganderbal 23.14, in Bandipora 17.87, in Kulgam 14.91, in Kupwara 13.49, in Baramulla 12.196, in Srinagar 10.64 and in Pulwama 3.51 till 11.00 am, as per the data.
In Jammu division, Samba district is leading the poll percentage chart with 36.40 per cent followed by Ramban at 33.39 per cent, Rajouri at 33.17 per cent, Poonch at 32.11 per cent and Reasi at 30.34 per cent.
Doda district recorded 25.18 per cent polling, Kathua 24.26 per cent, Udhampur 22.43 per cent and Kishtwar 14.43 per cent till 11 am, according to figures Officials said polling is going on smoothly across Jammu and Kashmir and there was no immediate report of any untoward incident.