Jammu And Kashmir: SEC Prohibits Exit Polls Before Conclusion Of DDC Elections

J&K witnessed its first elections since being reorganized as a union territory last year with the maiden District Development Council (DDC) polls on Saturday.

Samba DDC Elections (PTI Photo)

Jammu And Kashmir: The State Election Commission, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has prohibited the conduct of any exit poll and publishing/displaying of the result of exit poll by means of the print or electronic media or in any other manner in the ongoing District development Council Elections till the last phase of the elections. Also Read|Ladakh: Night Curfew, Prohibitory Orders Imposed In Leh As Covid-19 Case In UT Spike

In this regard, an order issued by State Election Commissioner, KK Sharma read, "In exercise of powers conferred under Section 36 of the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act 1989, the Election Authority (State Election Commission) hereby prohibits the conduct of any exit poll and publishing or publicizing/displaying the result of exit poll by means of the print or electronic media or in any other manner in the ongoing District development Council Elections in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir, till the hour fixed for conclusion of poll in the last phase of these elections, i.e. 2:00 PM on 19th December'.

The eight-phase DDC polls being held from today are the maiden elections in Jammu and Kashmir since it was reorganised as a union territory last year, and it is being held along with byelections to panchayats.

The PAGD -- an amalgam of several mainstream political parties, including NC and PDP, seeking the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's special status which was revoked by the Centre last year -- has been accusing the Bukhari-led party of being a B-Team of the BJP. There are 280 DDC seats in the union territory - 140 each in Jammu and Kashmir regions, the officials said, adding 14 constituencies have been earmarked in each of the 20 districts of the union territory. Out of 1,475 candidates, 296 contestested the first phase of the DDC polls, they said, adding 172 of them are from the Kashmir valley and 124 from the Jammu region.