Polling underway for re-poll in J-K

The state election commission (SEC) declared the polling to these constituencies as void, cancelling the candidature of Soomia Sadaf and Shazia Aslam, citing wrong information about the place of birth by the PoK-origin candidates.

Srinagar: Voting for the Drugmulla District Development Council (DDC) constituency in Kupwara district started at 7 am across all 42 polling stations that has been set up for the repolls. People came out to exercise their franchise braving the season's cold weather. 16 votes polled in Batergam, 11 in Redbugh, 7 in Pushwari, 4 in Tiker, 2 in Bohipora polling stations. 35 men and 24 women cast their votes till 9 am.

Polling was underway on Monday in two district development council (DDC) constituencies (Hajin-A in Bandipora and Drugmulla in Kupwara) of Jammu and Kashmir where a re-poll was ordered by election authorities due to disputed qualification of candidates. The DDC elections had earlier taken place in the state in December 2020. However, the counting of votes was withheld in these two seats -- Drugmulla in Kupwara and Hajin-A in Bandipora -- due to the disputed qualification of two candidates.

Later, the state election commission (SEC) declared the polling to these constituencies as void, cancelling the candidature of Soomia Sadaf and Shazia Aslam, citing wrong information about the place of birth by the PoK-origin candidates.

All the arrangements for the re-poll have been put in place, the officials said. They said the polling will take place between 7 am and 2 pm at 42 polling stations in Drugmulla and at 57 polling stations in Hajin. The polling staff and polling material have been dispatched to all the stations, they said. The DDC constituency of Hajin-A has a total electorate of 15,351 and Drugmulla 32,845.