The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday said that the first phase of polling for Jammu and Kashmir assembly recorded 61.38 per cent voting on 18 September.

The ECI said that 63.75 per cent males, 58.96 per cent females and 40 per cent third gender voters turned out during polling for 24 assembly seats in the first phase.

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The Chief Electoral officer of J&K had earlier given the tentative figure of polling as 59 per cent.

Inderwal constituency in Kishtwar district of Jammu witnessed the highest 82.16 per cent voting followed by 80.67 per cent in Padder.

The interesting factor in the figures released by the ECI is that 100 per cent third gender voters turned out to exercise their franchise in four constituencies, Dooru, Kokernag(ST) in Kashmir and Doda and Ramban constituencies in the Jammu region.

Womenfolk turned out in larger numbers than men to cast their vote in 6 of the 24 constituencies.

In Kokernag (ST), 62.42 per cent women voted against 62.08 per cent men, Inderwal witnessed 82.90 per cent women turnout against 81.47 per cent men, in Kishtwar the women turnout was 79.93 pc against 76.62 pc men voters, in Bhaderwah 68.07 pc women voted against 66.23 pc men, Doda saw 75.82 pc women casting their vote against 69.34 pc men and in Doda West 78.24 pc women turned out against 73.91 pc men.