Third round of voting in Indian-controlled Kashmir begins amid tight security

Source:Xinhua Published: 2014-4-24 15:48:01

Voting for India's general elections in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir's third constituency began Thursday amid tension and stringent security measures, officials said.

The voting in volatile Anantnag parliamentary constituency started in the morning.

"The voting took off at 7:00 a.m., however, the polling stations presented a deserted look," said a government official. " There is no rush of voters in towns."

Reports from Pulwama, Tral and Anantnag towns said people seem to have boycotted the polls and streets were deserted. The boycott call was given by separatists and militant groups. However, in several villages of Anantnag district, people were seen going to polling stations to exercise their right to vote.

According to government spokesman, until 9:00 a.m. (local time) a meagre percentage of voting was reported.

"The Anantnag and Kulgam districts recorded six percent each, Pulwama zero percent and Shopian two percent until 9:00 in morning, " a government spokesman said.

Officials have set up 1,615 polling stations in the constituency and according to reports, all the polling stations were declared hyper-sensitive following killing of three men, including a rural body head and village headman, in Tral area of Pulwama district. The killings prompted series of resignations from the rural body members.

"We have suffered a lot over the years, and participation in Indian elections hasn't brought any solution," said Iqbal Ahmad, a resident of Awantipora town. "I and my family are boycotting the polls."

Authorities have also deployed adequate police and India's Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel across four districts of Anantnag parliamentary constituency to prevent polling stations from militant attacks.

Police has reportedly taken some people into preventive custody, fearing they would disrupt voting and enforce boycott.

Over 1.3 million voters registered in constituency have to decide the fate of 12 candidates in the fray.

In Indian-controlled Kashmir, the ruling National Conference is in pre-poll alliance with India's Congress party. Analysts said the main contest would be between the alliance candidate Mehboob Beg and opposition People Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti.

Police officials said the killings on Monday night triggered panic among the voters and resulted in decreasing the participation of people in polls.

Thursday marks the third round of polling in the restive region. Voting in two constituencies has been completed.

In ongoing elections, the Congress party is seeking to regain power under leadership of Rahul Gandhi, the fourth generation scion of India's powerful Nehru-Gandhi clan. He is facing Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) nominee Narendra Modi.




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