Fifth phase of polling in J&K today

The people of Jammu and Kashmir will vote on Saturday in the fifth phase of their Assembly elections. Security is tight across the 11 constituencies.

Polling in this phase will decide the fate of candidates for 5 seats in Jammu, that is - Bani , Basoli, Kathua, Billawar , Hiranagar and six seats in the Kashmir Valley, that is - Tral, Pampore, Pulwama, Rajpora, Wachi, Shopian.

The fate of 179 candidates will be decided for 11 seats. These include 5 women and 58 independents.

More than 8 lakh people will have the right to vote. Militancy infested Shopian and Tral are also voting and the maximum number of candidates are contesting from these two constituencies, as many as 21.

PDP's Mehbooba Mufti who is contesting from Wachi in the Kashmir Valley is the only heavyweight candidate in this phase and there is heavy security for her.

Two more phases of polling are left they will be held on the 17th and 24th of December.

The voter turnout so far in the first four phases of polling:-

64 per cent in first phase on November 17

65 per cent in second phase on November 23

61 per cent in third phase on November 30

56 per cent in fourth phase on December 7