Very few sarpanch halqas and panch constituencies went to polls across five blocks of southern Anantnag district in the fourth phase of panchayat elections on Tuesday primarily due to absence of candidates and contest.
The candidates were either elected unopposed or sarpanch halqas and panch wards remained vacant as none turned up to file a nomination, an election official said.
In Achabal block, he said the polls could be held in only five out of 27 panchayat halqas and only five out of 213 panch wards.
Nine sarpanchs and 66 panchs were elected unopposed, he said.
“The rest 13 sarpach halqas and 142 panch constituencies remained vacant,” he said.
The elections were held in Shehlipora panchayat halqa where a few people did vote. However, in other villages, hardly anyone turned up at polling booths.
In 18 panchayat halqas and 136 panch wards of Shangus block, elections could be held in only three halqas and one panch ward, respectively.
“Seven sarpanchs and 22 panchs were elected unopposed while the rest of halqas or wards remained vacant for want of candidates,” an official said.
He said the polling booths set-up remained largely deserted Tuesday.
The polling percentage was, however, better in Chatergul block, the upper belt of Anantnag district having a substantial Gujjar and Pahari population.
“In 15 sarpanch halqas and 105 panch wards in this block, four and six went for polls, respectively,” he said.
“9 sarpanchs and 39 panchs were respectively elected unopposed while the rest of halqas or wards remained vacant,” an official said.
In Qazigund block, out of nine sarpanch halqas and 69 panch wards, polling was witnessed in seven and three respectively.
“In the upper belt of this block, few people did turn up at polling booths to elect panchs and sarpanchs,” an official said, adding that 26 panchs were elected unopposed.
“One sarpanch was also elected unopposed while one sarpanch/panchayat halaqa remained vacant in absence of a candidate,” an official said.
In Vesu block’s 12 panchayat halqas and 92 panch constituencies, the elections could merely be held in five and two, respectively.
“2 panchayat halqas remained vacant while in rest, sarpanchs were elected unopposed,” an official said.
He said that 25 panchs were also elected unopposed while 63 panch wards remained vacant.
The polling percentage across five blocks at the end of the day stood at 6 percent, slightly better than the second phase.
In Anantnag block, few halqas and wards which went for polls in the second phase, had recorded 1 percent voting while in the entire Bijbehara block, the elections could not be held as no one had filed a nomination for either panch and or sarpanch.
“No panchayat body could be formed in any of the villages of this block,” an official said.
Meanwhile, the election was possible in six panchayat halqas and seven panch wards of remote Kund block in Kulgam district, out of total 10 and 84, respectively.
“3 sarpanchs and 26 panchs were elected unopposed. One sarpanch and 51 panch constituencies remained vacant,” an official said.
Brisk voting was witnessed in Waltengo-Nar, Wasernag, Kraroo, Waripora village of this block having substantial Gujjar population.
The block recorded 14 percent voting at the end of the day.
In the first phase, elections could not be held in DH Pora, DK Marg and Manzgam blocks of Noorabad-DH Pora assembly segment as hardly anyone had filed a nomination.
In rest of the blocks—Pahoo, Pombay, Devsar, Yaripora, Frisal, Qaimoh, Behibagh, and Kulgam—the elections scheduled in the subsequent phases is highly unlikely to take place due to absence of candidates.