9 per cent polling in J&K in first three hours despite cold

Srinagar/Jammu, Dec 17 (PTI) Braving severe cold
conditions following overnight snowfall in upper reaches, an
estimated nine per cent of over 11.65 electorate Wednesday
voted in the first three hours in 16 constituencies in the
sixth phase of assembly elections in the frontier Indian state
of Jammu and Kashmir.

Dooru segment in Anantnag district in Kashmir Valley
recorded the highest poll percentage, while Pahalgam
registered the lowest with just 2.44 per cent of the voters
turning up in the initial stages of the polling exercise.

Banihal constituency recorded 15 per cent of voting,
Inderwal (12.50 per cent), Doda (12.02 per cent), Bhaderwah
(11 per cent), Ramban (11 per cent), Kishtwar (09.08 per
cent), Noorabad (11.05 per cent), Kulgam (9.5 per cent), Home
Shalibug (7 per cent), Devsar (9.15 per cent), Anantnag (5.2
per cent), Kokernag (6.7 per cent), Shangus (5.17 per cent)
and Bijbehara (7.2 per cent), according to official sources.

Voters braved extreme cold conditions and yet again
defied separatists to cast their ballot.

Upper reaches of Pir Panjal range experienced
snowfall, while plains in the state were lashed by rain
overnight resulting in a further drop in the temperature in
the Valley this morning.

Electoral fortunes of 271 candidates, including two
former chief ministers -- Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Ghulam
Nabi Azad -- would be decided Wednesday.

As many as 20,000 additional security forces personnel
and nearly 10,000 local policemen have been deployed at the
polling booths for smooth conduct of polls, they said.

There are 1,268 polling stations in the 16
constituencies in Anantnag, Kulgam, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban
districts.

Besides Azad and Sayeed, ten former ministers -- Abdul
Aziz Zargar, Abdul Rehman Veeri, Abdul Gaffar Sofi, Peer
Mohammad Hussain, G A Mir, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, G M
Saroori, Mehboob Beg, Sakina Itoo and Peerzada Ghulam Ahmed
Shah -- are seeking re-election to the Assembly.

State Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) chief
Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami is also in the fray.

Polling in at least fifteen booths of Kulgam
constituency was delayed by an hour due to non-activation of
electronic voting machines (EVMs), official sources said.

As compared to 2002 assembly elections when 124
candidates were in the fray, this time a record number of 271
leaders, including 11 women, are trying their luck in 16
constituencies.

Banihal constituency has largest number of 24
candidates, followed by 23 in Anantnag, 20 each in Kokernag,
Dooru, Devsar and Doda, 18 each in Inderwal and Kulgam, 17 in
Shangus, 15 in Noorabad, 13 each in Homshalibugh, Bhaderwah,
Ramban and Kishtwar and 12 each in Pahalgam and Bijbehara.

Barring the death of a PDP activist in a clash at
Dhamhal Hanjipora in Kulgam district, campaigning for the
sixth round concluded peacefully on Monday.

Meanwhile, 20 polling stations in five assembly
constituencies of Anantnag district were shifted following
request by the contesting parties.

"The change of location of 20 polling stations have
been effected with the approval of the Election Commission,"
District Election Officer Gazanfer Hussain said.

Out of the 20 polling stations, nine are from Anantnag
constituency, Dooru (five), Kokernag (two), Bijbehara (three)
and Shangus (one), he said. PTI