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RINAGAR: First-time panchayat election contestant Farida Bano (40) was tense at the start of the polling on Wednesday morning. But her confidence grew as the number of voters swelled outside a polling booth in Budgam district's Sheikhpura village. By 10 am 28% voters had voted.
Farida is one of the four women contesting the first phase of the elections in the area. She said brisk voting awed her a little. "I am nervous but this is good. I want to serve my village and think I will do a good job if given a chance," she said.
The voters came out in droves elsewhere in the Valley and 78% turnout was recorded at the end of the day. The turnout was even better than the historic 2008 assembly polls when over 65% people had voted despite boycott calls.
"Across five blocks in the Valley and three in Jammu, 78% of the eligible voters cast their ballot. It has been a good day," said state election commissioner D R Sharma.
The day passed off peacefully despite militant threats of enforcing a boycott. Terrorists targeted several political activists in the run up to the polls. There were stray reports of Lashkar-e-Taiba posters warning people against voting. But Kupwara believed to be a militant hub in north Kashmir recorded 86% turnout.
Bijli-sadak-pani issue seemed to have won over boycott calls. "These elections are good. It shall mean that more money is coming straight to the village. It means more development for us and would cut out the government middlemen," said a voter. "This election is not about the Kashmir problem. It is a vote for development at the grassroots," said another father of two waiting to vote at Sheikhpura.
Panchayat elections will be completed in 16 phases across Jammu & Kashmir. No electronic voting machines would be used as the state Panchayati Raj Act allows only old-fashioned paper ballots.
Observers said the state government's ploy of holding the elections on a non- party basis seemed to have worked in its favour. People largely ignored separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's boycott call.
"This is the first real Panchayat election in the state in 33 years, the last one in 2001 was only on paper, half the seats remained empty," chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted.
Farida is one of the four women contesting the first phase of the elections in the area. She said brisk voting awed her a little. "I am nervous but this is good. I want to serve my village and think I will do a good job if given a chance," she said.
The voters came out in droves elsewhere in the Valley and 78% turnout was recorded at the end of the day. The turnout was even better than the historic 2008 assembly polls when over 65% people had voted despite boycott calls.
"Across five blocks in the Valley and three in Jammu, 78% of the eligible voters cast their ballot. It has been a good day," said state election commissioner D R Sharma.
The day passed off peacefully despite militant threats of enforcing a boycott. Terrorists targeted several political activists in the run up to the polls. There were stray reports of Lashkar-e-Taiba posters warning people against voting. But Kupwara believed to be a militant hub in north Kashmir recorded 86% turnout.
Bijli-sadak-pani issue seemed to have won over boycott calls. "These elections are good. It shall mean that more money is coming straight to the village. It means more development for us and would cut out the government middlemen," said a voter. "This election is not about the Kashmir problem. It is a vote for development at the grassroots," said another father of two waiting to vote at Sheikhpura.
Panchayat elections will be completed in 16 phases across Jammu & Kashmir. No electronic voting machines would be used as the state Panchayati Raj Act allows only old-fashioned paper ballots.
Observers said the state government's ploy of holding the elections on a non- party basis seemed to have worked in its favour. People largely ignored separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's boycott call.
"This is the first real Panchayat election in the state in 33 years, the last one in 2001 was only on paper, half the seats remained empty," chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted.
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