Jammu, December 12: Over 7.48 lakh voters will decide the fate of 245 candidates, including 100 women contestants, in the sixth phase of District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, state Election Commissioner K K Sharma said.

The eight-phased maiden DDC elections commenced on November 28 and so far, voters in 190 constituencies, out of total 280 across 20 districts, have registered their choice. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Horror: 7-Year-Old Girl Gang Raped in Muzaffarnagar District.

While the first phase on November 28 recorded the highest 51.76 per cent polling, the subsequent phases on December 1, 4, 7 and 10 witnessed 48.62 per cent, 50.53 per cent, 50.08 per cent and 51.20 per cent polling, respectively.

The DDC polls are being held along with by-elections to panchayats. This is the first democratic exercise in Jammu and Kashmir since it was reorganised as a Union Territory last year.

The counting of votes in the DDC elections is slated on December 22.

In the sixth phase of polling on Sunday, Sharma said the voting would be conducted in 31 constituencies, including 17 in Jammu division and 14 in Kashmir Valley, from 7 am to 2 pm.

"A total of 245 candidates –- 145 male and 100 female -- are in fray, including 124 from Kashmir division and 121 from Jammu division, for DDC elections in this phase," Sharma told reporters here.

He said a total of 7,48,301 electorate, including 3,57,869 women are eligible to vote in this phase, for which 2,071 polling stations with 1,208 in Kashmir division and 863 in Jammu province have been set up. Also Read | Jammu and Kashmir Will Get Back 17,000 Hectares of Land Grabbed Under Roshni Scheme, Says Union Minister Anurag Thakur.

For sarpanch bypolls, Sharma said a total of 229 candidates, including 65 women, are contesting from 77 constituencies, out of total 127 seats in this phase, while a total of 740 candidates, including 180 women, are in fray for 334 vacant seats out of 1,548 vacant panch constituencies.

Sharma said all necessary arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful poling besides special emphasis have been made to keep the voters safe from COVID-19.

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