Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 23: The elections for Board of Directors of the Citizens’ Cooperative Bank Ltd (CCBL), Jammu, which were held today, registered highest ever turn out in the history of the bank.
In the smooth and incident free elections amidst elaborate security arrangements, a record number of 6731 CCBL shareholders cast their vote to elect the new team of the Directors for running management affairs of first and the largest Urban Cooperative Bank in Jammu and Kashmir, said Dr Arun Manhas, Additional Deputy Commissioner Jammu and Government Administrator of CCBL Jammu.
Even as only 27 percent shareholders cast their votes, there was massive 52 percent jump in the number of votes polled today in comparison to last time elections, which were held in 2012, informed Zafar Iqbal Bandey, who was Returning Officer for the CCBL polls.
The election passed off peacefully across all the 25 Polling Stations, located in different areas of Jammu City, R S Pura, Akhnoor and Vijaypur. For smooth conduct of the elections, more than one hundred Government employees from different departments were engaged as polling staff while concerned SDM were appointed as Zonal Incharge, who were assisted by one Magistrate at each Polling Station.
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The polling was held from 9.30 a.m to 4.30 p.m but at a few places, the shareholders, who had entered the Polling Station premises by 4.30 p.m, were allowed to cast their vote.
In view of heavy rush of voters at Janipur, Channi, Akhnoor and some other Polling Stations, additional ballot boxes were installed but despite this, shareholders had to wait for long time for casting their vote. At Janipur, a number of voters were seen leaving the Polling Station without casting their vote because of huge rush apparently due to miscalculation of the Election authorities in creating only one booth for more than 1600 voters in the locality.
Wife of a contesting candidate was seen visiting inside a few Polling Stations thus prompting others to raise objections. However, there was no incident of violence or clash during the elections, which passed off peacefully.
Highest number of votes (572) was polled at the Polling Station Tehsil Office Akhnoor and it was followed by Janipur Polling Station where 506 votes were polled. Lowest turn out was registered at Polling Station, Boys HSS Gandhi Nagar where only 78 shareholders, out of 746, cast their vote.
After the voting was over, the ballot boxes were sealed in the presence of Election authorities as well representatives of the candidates and then dispatched to safe house at the Yatri Niwas, Bhagwati Nagar.
Counting of votes will be held tomorrow from 8 a.m onwards and the results are likely to be available by the afternoon.
There are total 45 candidates in fray for the post of Directors.
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