Srinagar/Baramulla/Jammu, Oct 1 (Reporter) Voters came out to cast their ballot enthusiastically amid tight security in the third and final phase of Jammu and Kashmir election on Tuesday as 44.08 percent turnout was recorded till 1 pm in 40 assembly constituencies spread across the seven districts, officials said. In Jammu region, an impressive over 50 percent voting was recorded at most of the polling station including Bani, Jasrota, Billawar, Ramgarh, Marh, Akhnoor, Udhampur west, Udhampur East, Ramnagar, Ramgarh, Chenani and Chhamb assembly constituencies during the first six hours. The lowest 35.54 percent was recorded at Jammu West, 36.88 in Jammu East and Jammu north 37. 93 till 1 pm. In Kashmir valley, 52.38 percent voting was recorded in Gurez, 47.1 percent in Handwara , 45.35 percent in Karnah, 43.3 percent in Sonawari, 38.64 percent in Pattan, 41.28 percent in Trehgam, 41.27percent in Lolab, 41.49 percent Uri, 40.99 percent in Gulmarg, while the lowest 27.76 percent voting was registered in Sopore assembly segment till 1pm. In Bandipora district, over 516 voters of Village Kanyari in Sonawari constituency allegedly boycotted the election in protest against the government not providing land to construct their homes, reports said. in other seats, voting picked up as the day progressed and long queues of voters were seen outside the various polling stations waiting for their turn to cast their ballot. About 100-year-old Mala Begum cast her vote at the Pink Polling Station at Chattibandi in Bandipora and another elderly woman identified as Khatija, carried on shoulders by her son, cast her vote in Uri assembly segment. In the last phase of the assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir, over 39 lakh electors will decide the fate of 415 candidates. The results will be declared on October 8. The 40 assembly constituencies in the last phase of voting include 16 in three districts of the Kashmir Valley (Kupwara, Baramulla, and Bandipora) and 24 in the four districts of Jammu division (Jammu, Udhampur, Kathua, and Samba). While the Baramulla assembly segment of North Kashmir leads with the highest 25 candidates in the poll fray, the Akhnoor Assembly constituency of Jammu district will witness a triangular contest during this phase. This is the first assembly poll held in the erstwhile state in ten years after the Narendra Modi government revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 in August 2019 and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories. Enthusiastic voters reached the polling booths and stood in queues waiting for their turn to exercise their right to franchise as the voting started at 7 am and will end at 6 pm. Security personnel have been deployed in strength around the polling stations. A multi-tier security blanket has been thrown around each polling station to ensure voting takes place in an atmosphere free of fear. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has established a total of 5060 polling stations with webcasting across 40 assembly seats. The 16 seats in Kashmir include Karnah, Trehgam, Kupwara,Lolab, Handwara, Langate, Sopore, Rafiabad, Uri, Baramulla, Gulmarg, Wagoora -Kreeri, Pattan, Sonawari, Bandipora and Gurez (ST). The 24 seats of Jammu division where voting is on include Udhampur West, Udhampur East, Chenani, Ramnagar(SC), Bani, Billawar, Basohli, Jasrota, Kathua, Hiranagar, Ramgarh(SC), Samba, Vijaypur, Bishnah(SC), Suchetgarh(SC), R.S.Pura–Jammu South, Bahu, Jammu East, Nagrota, Jammu West, Jammu North, Marh(SC), Akhnoor (SC) and Chhamb. There are over nearly two dozen former ministers and law makers whose fate will be sealed on Tuesday. The key candidates include former deputy chief minister and Congress leader Tara Chand who is contesting from Chhamb Assembly constituency, former deputy chief minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig who is fighting as as an Independent candidate from Baramulla; Sajad Lone of Peoples Conference; Bashaarat Bukhari of Peoples Democratic Party; Choudhary Ramazan of National Conference; Sham Lal Sharma and Devender Singh Rana of Bharatiya Janata Party and Choudary Lal Singh of Congress, Usman Majeed among others. In Kashmir, all eyes will be on Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) headed by Member parliament Abdul Rashid Sheikh popularly known as Engineer Rashid who was released from Tihar jail on interim bail and rigorously campaigned for the assembly polls. In the first phase of polls, about 61 per cent of the electorate in Jammu and Kashmir turned out to vote. In the second phase held last week, total voter turnout was 57.3 per cent. According to the latest electoral rolls, 39,18,220 voters are eligible to cast their ballots in this phase, comprising 20,09,033 male voters, 19,09,130 female voters, and 57 third-gender voters. Underlining the significance of the role to be played by the youth of Jammu and Kashmir in strengthening the democracy, as many as 1.94 lakh youth voters aged 18 to 19 are eligible to vote in the third phase, said an official...////...