Jammu, Nov. 29 -- Celebrating the festival of democracy at the grassroots level, more than 51 per cent voters on Saturday stepped out of their homes ignoring poll boycott calls and chilly weather conditions to cast their vote in the maiden District Development Council and Panchayat bypolls being held for the first time after the reorganisation of the erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir into two Union Territories and the Abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A in August 2019.

The other highlight of the polls was healthy participation of the Pakistani refugees and women electorate in large numbers. The Pak refugees were deprived of their voting rights as long as J&K enjoyed the special status.

Addressing a press conference after the first phase...