#JammuAndKashmirPolls : Third Final Phase Over ; Till 5 PM , EC Says 65.48 % Voter-Turn Out ; Exit Poll On 5th Evening

A voter turnout of 65.48 percent was recorded till 5 pm in the third and final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections , according to Election Commission data.

Polling in the 40 assembly segments across seven districts of Jammu and Kashmir, including the winter capital Jammu, began at 7 am amid tight security and is scheduled to conclude at 6 pm.

The three border districts of Kashmir — Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara — registered a voter turnout of 60 per cent with traditional boycott bastions of Sopore and Baramulla towns witnessing the highest turnout in an election in the last three decades.

However, the turnout in the 16 Assembly segments of these three districts on Tuesday was nearly 5 per cent less than what was recorded in the 2014 Assembly polls.

The third and final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls was held October 1. The polling in the 40 Assembly segments across seven districts, including the winter capital Jammu, began at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm. The votes will be counted on October 8.

More than 39.18 lakh eligible voters are set to decide the fate of 415 candidates, including two former deputy chief ministers Tara Chand and Muzaffar Baig, and several former ministers and legislators.

Officials said polling was going on peacefully in all segments including special polling stations along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC) with no untoward incident reported from anywhere.

The Election Commission (EC) has issued a circular to all media outlets (print, electronic, or digital), polling agencies, and individuals, who have been told that publication or broadcast of exit poll results related to the ongoing elections in Jammu and Kashmir may be published only 6 pm onwards on October 5.

“This restriction is mandated under Section 126A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Violation of this provision may lead to legal action, including fines and imprisonment as prescribed by law,” an official informed.