J&K reposes trust in Ballot; more than 50% vote in first phase of DDC polls

Voters’ enthusiasm beats Winter chill; Reasi records highest voter turnout of 74.62 percent, Pulwama finishes at 6.7 percent.

Srinagar/Jammu: In the first electoral exercise in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370, nearly 52 percent turnout was recorded on Saturday in the maiden District Development Council (DDC) polls. The first round of polling on Saturday in the eight-phase DDC election passed off peacefully, except for a minor incident of stone-pelting in […]

People in Ganderbal vote for local issues

Ganderbal: Several voters in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Saturday said that the District Development Council (DDC) polls are to elect people who can solve basic problems and “bigger issues” like restoration of special status should be left for assembly and parliamentary elections. The eight-phase DDC polls are the first elections in Jammu and Kashmir […]

Excitement overtakes COVID precautions at some polling stations

Srinagar: COVID guidelines were flouted at some polling stations in the Valley and excitement overtook precautions as enthusiastic voters jostled with each other to cast their ballot in the first elections in Jammu and Kashmir after its reorganisation last year. Authorities had said necessary COVID measures, including the use of masks and social distancing, have […]

Chorwan villagers in Gurez stay away from polls

Bandipora: In a first, a village in Gurez valley of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district Saturday boycotted the District Development Council (DDC) elections, saying that the village has been ignored by the successive representatives and there is no visible development in these villages. Talking to the news agency KNO, the residents of Chorwan village said that […]

High voter turnout indicative of pent up democratic aspirations: Jitendra Singh

Jammu: Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday said that high voter turnout in the first phase of polling for District Development Councils (DDCs) is indicative of the pent up democratic aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. What is important to note, he said, “is that the polling in most of the districts in […]

Omar Abdullah appreciates poll pariticipation

Srinagar: National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah on Saturday said it was encouraging to see voters come out to participate in the District Development Council (DDC) polls despite the cold weather. Abdullah’s remarks came as the voting for the first phase of the eight phase DDC polls and bypolls to local bodies was underway in […]

Cold conditions persist in J&K; Gulmarg records -5.6 deg C

Srinagar: Cold weather conditions prevailed in most parts of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday with Gulmarg tourist resort in the Valley being the coldest place at minus 5.6 degrees Celsius, the meteorological department said. It has predicted dry weather in the union territory till December 04. While the minimum temperature settled several degrees below the […]

Six PMs to attend SCO heads of govt summit being hosted by India

Pak to be represented by parl secy for foreign affairs

New Delhi, Nov 28 (PTI) The prime ministers of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan will attend the summit of the heads of government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on Monday while Pakistan will be represented by its parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said. India is hosting […]

West Pakistan refugees outside booths in Jammu say ‘justice done after 70 yrs of struggle’

Jammu: Enthusiasm was palpable among voters at polling booths here on Saturday as the maiden District Development Council (DDC) polls and Panchayat by-elections, the first democratic exercise in Jammu and Kashmir since it was reorganised as a union territory last year, was underway. With the abrogation of Article 370, several communities like West Pakistan refugees, […]