DDC polls: 168 polling staff airlifted for snow-bound areas in J-K's Kishtwar

Ahead of the District Development Council (DDC) elections, 168 polling staff along with election material were airlifted on Sunday to the snow-bound Warwan block in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district, officials said.

DDC elections along with bypolls to panchayats and urban local bodies are scheduled to take place in eight phases in the Union Territory, beginning November 28.

Thirty-nine polling parties were inducted to the Marwah block of Kishtwar district on Saturday, the officials said.

DDC elections and panchayat bypolls will be held in the two blocks in the first phase on November 28, they said.

The induction of polling staff was done by the administration under the supervision of District Panchayat Election Officer Ashok Kumar Sharma, the officials said.

"Given the tough geographical terrain, the health of polling staff will be a matter of concern for us and keeping in view the Covid-19 pandemic and tough weather ahead, all arrangements have been made and precautions taken for the poll parties," Sharma said.

Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Kishtwar, Amir Hussain, who was supervising the whole exercise for induction of poll parties, said the polling staff was airlifted to transit camps in Marwah and Warwan from where they will be sent to their respective polling booths.

He said all boarding and lodging arrangements for the poll parties are in place in these transit camps.