Srinagar, October 13: Polling was underway for third phase of urbal local body elections 2018 in Jammu and Kashmir. Polling began at 6:00 am and is slated to end at 4:00 pm. Security has been hightened across the state to ensure peaceful voting. A total of 372 candidates are in the fray for 207 wards up for grabs in the third phase of urban local body elections in the state.

In Jammu region, polling was held in four municipal committees in Samba namely Samba, Vijaypur, Ramgarh and Bari-Brahmana. Since the two main regional parties - National Conference and People's Democratic Part (PDP) announced a poll boycott, the prime contest was between the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the National Panthers Party. Jammu & Kashmir Local Body Elections 2018: First-Phase of Civic Polls in 11 Districts Ends, 68.83% Voting Recorded Till 4pm.

The overall voter turnout in the first phase of local body elections was 56.7 per cent, while in the second phase, overall turnout was 30 per cent. In the first phase of civic polls, a total of 422 wards were contested, including the 75 seats of the Jammu Municipal Corporation. A total of 384 wards went to polls in the second phase of polls. Muslim Voters in Jammu Defy Poll Boycott Call; Slam NC, PDP.

In the fourth and final phase of local body elections on October 16, 132 wards will be contested. The counting of votes is slated for October 20, when the results will be announced. Electronic voting machines (EVMs) are being used for the first time in these polls.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 13, 2018 08:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).