JAMMU: Survey for the first phase of the first elections to the District Development Councils (DDC) in Jammu and Kashmir started on saturday morning.
Forty-three of the 280 electoral districts of the Union Territory go to the polls in the first phase of DDC elections. Voting will end at 2 pm.
Elections for the DDCs, which are held in eight phases, will conclude on December 19 and the vote count will take place on December 22.
By-pass votes are also being held simultaneously for 234 vacant positions in Urban Local Bodies (ULB).
Parties even the National Conference, Popular Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Conference and CPI (M), formed the Popular Alliance for the Gupkar Declaration and are fighting together in the first DDC elections. The national BJP parties and Congress are also in the fray.
KK Sharma, state election commissioner, said the Health Department undertakes to implement the Covid-19 guidelines.
“All arrangements, including security, reviewed and completed. Remote areas to go to the polls in the first and second phase of voting. The Department of Health is committed to implementing the COVID guidelines,” he said.
On Friday, Jammu and Kashmir Police Director General Dilbag Singh chaired a high-level meeting to review the security arrangements for the DDC polls and the by-elections for Panchayat and local urban bodies.
He said the focus should be on ensuring security arrangements and implementation of the comprehensive security plan drawn up for the elections.
On video: Jammu and Kashmir: DDC elections begin today in eight phases
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