The Hindu : Violence kept people off poll booths: EC

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 02, 2002

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Violence kept people off poll booths: EC

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI Oct. 1. The Election Commission today said that the violence let loose by militants had kept the people away from polling booths during the third phase of polls in Jammu and Kashmir, in which people from 27 constituencies exercised their franchise.

Briefing presspersons, the Deputy Election Commissioner, Sayan Chatterjee, said the average polling percentage in the four districts was about 41. The first phase registered 47.25 per cent and the second phase about 42. Anantnag district recorded the lowest turnout of 25 per cent while Kathua saw the highest turnout of 59.

Mr. Chatterjee said that 56 per cent of the electorate cast their votes in Udhampur district and 28 in Pulwama. The polling was spread over 2,216 polling stations and 228 candidates were in the fray. As for Kashmiri Pandit migrants, he said that out of the 10,904 registered voters in Jammu, 5,414 cast their votes.

In Udhampur, 543 out of 1,502 cast their votes and 16 out of 68 cast their votes in Delhi. The 14 foreign diplomats, who were here to witness the polls, were satisfied with the poll process, Mr. Chatterjee said.

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Militants strike at 27 places in J&K

Violence kept people off poll booths: EC