<span style="color: #222222;">In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the State Election Commissioner, K. K Sharma informed that 64 per cent and 57 per cent voter turnout was recorded on Saturday in the first phase of vacant Panch and Sarpanch Panchayat By-poll elections. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">AIR Correspondent reports that a total of 85,363 electors exercised their franchise, which began at 7AM and ended at 2PM against the total 1,43,592 electors for both Sarpanch and Panch vacant constituencies. In vacant Panch constituencies, in Jammu division Ramban district recorded the highest voter turnout of 77.77% followed by Doda 77.73 per cent while in Kashmir, Shopian witnessed 86.74 per cent turnout followed by Budgam with 72.79 per cent voter turnout. Whereas, in Sarpanch vacant constituencies, Ganderbal witnessed 71.04 per cent voter turnout, while in Jammu district recorded the highest turnout of 77.24 per cent. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The SEC has said that the DDC and Panchayat elections will play a decisive role towards development at a grass root level and appreciated every stakeholder for their tireless efforts for the successful conduct of the polling process. In the first phase of Panchayat By-elections, 1,131 candidates were in fray, 852 in 368 Panch constituencies and 279 in 94 Sarpanch constituencies.</span><br />