The counting of votes for the maiden District Development Council (DDC) elections will begin across 20 districts of the Jammu and Kashmir union territory on December 22.
The eight-phase DDC election assumes significance because it was the first electoral exercise held in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 and division of the erstwhile state into two union territories on August 5 last year.
The counting begins at 9 am amid tight security, officials said. All necessary arrangements have been made for counting of votes in all 280 constituencies, they said.
Nearly 4,200 candidates are in the fray for 280 DDCs. As many as 1,088 vacant panchayat halqas and 12,153 panch constituencies also saw by-polls.
The polling had commenced on November 28 and concluded on December 19 with an overall voter turnout of 51 percent.
The elections saw a high-decibel campaign by the BJP, the Congress and the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration — an alliance formed by regional parties to collectively fight for the restoration of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP and Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference are also part of the alliance.
"The entire counting exercise will be monitored and recorded to achieve full transparency," said J&K election commissioner SK Sharma.
The DDCs are set to become a new unit of governance in Jammu and Kashmir. A legislation to this effect was brought in by the Ministry of Home Affairs on October 16 through an amendment to the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989. This structure will include a DDC and a District Planning Committee (DPC).
READ: Explained: Why Jammu and Kashmir’s DDC elections are significant
This system replaces the District Planning and Development Boards in all districts that were headed by a cabinet minister of the erstwhile state. In the new system, the DDCs will have elected representatives from districts. Each district will have 14 elected members representing its rural areas, alongside the Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and chairpersons of all Block Development Councils in the district.
On December 20, J&K Governor Manoj Sinha thanked the people, especially the first-time voters.
“I thank and congratulate the people of J&K, especially the First-time voters, Independent Candidates and Political Parties for strengthening grass root democracy and paving way for progressive future of the UT,” Sinha said in a tweet.
(With PTI inputs)
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