1st phase of Uttarakhand panchayat polls sees 68% voter turnout

Dehradun: The first phase of the three-tier panchayat polls in Uttarakhand saw a voter turnout of 68 per cent, officials said on Friday.

Polling to Gram Panchayats in 49 development blocks located in 12 districts of the state was held on Thursday.

Altogether, 68 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the first phase of the panchayat elections, the state election commission said as it released the final voting percentage figures.

It included 63 per cent of men and 73 per cent of women voters, the commission said.

Polling was held peacefully in a transparent manner, it said.

A total of 17,829 candidates were in the fray for more than 6,000 posts of gram panchayats, kshetra panchayats and zila panchayats in the first round of polls, officials said.

The next round of polling is scheduled for July 28, and the results will be announced on July 31.