Friday, February 18 2005 10:38 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jammu: Congress yesterday (Feb 17, 2005) swept the final phase of polling by wresting 20 out of 50 seats in the civic polls in twin districts of Poonch-Rajouri, where an estimated 79 per cent voters cast their franchise on a peaceful polling day.

Out of 51 seats, results of 50 seats have been declared and 20 seats have gone to Congress, followed by 12 to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 7 to People's Democratic Party (PDP), 4 to National Conference (NC) and 7 to independents in Rajouri and Poonch districts where 79 per cent polling was recorded yesterday, JK Election Department sources said in Jammu.

While out of 34 total seats in Rajouri district, Congress took 10 seats followed by 9 by BJP, 6 by PDP, 2 by NC and 7 by Independents, they said.

Similarly, 10 seats were bagged by Congress, followed by 3 by BJP, 2 by NC and one by PDP and one seat remain un-declared in 17 total seats in Poonch district till the reports last came in from the district, they said.

Coalition partners of PDP-Congress bagged 27 seats out of 51 seats in the Rajouri-Poonch district, they said.

Barring a clash between two rival groups outside a polling station in Rajouri town in which three persons were injured, the exercise was peaceful and smooth in both the border districts, they said.