Polling for the first phase of assembly elections for 13 seats in Jharkhand and 15 segments in Jammu and Kashmir ended peacefully today.

Over 70 per cent polling was recorded in the first phase of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir today. Briefing reporters in New Delhi this evening, Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi said, the final figure is likely to go up. The polling passed off peacefully.

Mr. Zutshi said, there has not been any report of poll boycott in the state. Despite poll boycott calls by separatist groups like all factions of Hurriyat Conference and JKLF , voters turned out in large numbers to exercise their franchise. The heavy turnout of voters in the first phase is a clear rebuff to separatists.

Sonawari assembly constituency in Bandipora district recorded maximum turnout of voters with 80.10% followed by 79.6% in Doda Assembly constituency. Impressive turnout was also recorded in Bandipora, Ganderbal, Leh, Kargil, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts. No major incident of violence has been reported from anywhere. In the 2008 Assembly elections, an average of over 60 per cent polling was witnessed. Twelve sitting MLAs, including seven ministers, are among 123 candidates whose fate has been sealed in ballot boxes.

In Jharkhand also, the polling was by and large peaceful. About 62 per cent turnout was recorded in the first phase of Assembly elections in the state. About 62 percent of 33 lakh, 60 thousand voters exercised their franchise. AIR Correspondent reports that people came out in good numbers despite boycott call given by the naxals. Nearly 40 thousand security personnel of Central and State police forces were deployed for this phase of elections.

Enthusiasm for polling in the naxal affected areas of Jharkhand was evident since seven in the morning when the poll started. In the overall 62 percent figure of state, poling in Bhawnathpur was highest with nearly 70 percent and in Chatra, it was lowest with 54 percent. The policy of handing over all the sensitive booths to Central Police Forces worked well, as no serious untoward incidence was reported.

Important leaders whose fate was sealed today in the EVM machine is Congress state President Sukhdev Bhagat, Minister K N Tripathy, AJSU K K Bhagat, RJD state President Grinath Singh and Anant Pratap Dev and Radha Krishna Kishore of the BJP.