SRINAGAR, Nov 29: Nearly 52 per cent turnout was recorded on Saturday in the first District Development Council (DDC) elections in the newly-carved out Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 that gave the erstwhile J&K a special status in the Indian Constitution.

State Election Commissioner KK Sharma said that 51.76 per cent of the 7,00,842 eligible voters exercised their franchise during the voting which was held from 7:00 am and to 2:00 pm peacefully.

Jammu's Reasi had the highest turnout of 74.62 per cent and militant-active Pulwama the lowest turnout at 6.7 per cent.

This was the first of the eight-phased election. Voting was held in 43 constituencies, of which 25 are in Kashmir region. There were 1,475 candidates.