 "Polling in Anantnag LS seat tomorrow")
Against the backdrop of the killing of four political workers, polling will be held in Anantnag Lok Sabha seat in Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow to decide the fate of 12 candidates including NC's Mehboob Beg and opposition PDP president Mehbooba Mufti.
Over 12 lakh voters are expected to exercise their franchise tomorrow in this south Kashmir Lok Sabha constituency.
Although 12 candidates are in the fray for this seat spread over 16 assembly segments in four districts, the contest is expected to be a direct fight between Beg and Mufti.
Voting will be held in the shadow of fear as a Congress sarpanch, his son and a village official were shot dead in Tral area of Pulwama district on Monday night while a PDP sarpanch was shot dead by militants last Thursday in nearby Awanitpora area of the district.
Asked about reports of some pachayat members tendering their resignation in the wake of the killings, Rural Development Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar said, "If they (Panchayat members) feel it right to tell the media that they have resigned, so let it be.
"It is not the time to talk about if anyone has put in papers officially," Sagar said.
Panchayat members have become a soft target for militants as seven of them were killed in 2012 and 2013.
All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference, a representative body of over 33,000 panchayat members in the state, is angry with the state government over the spate of killings.
The Panchayat Conference in a statement accused the coalition government of turning a blind eye towards the security of panchayat members.
Security agencies have classified 83% of the 1615 polling stations in the constituency as sensitive or hypersensitive.
Over 12 lakh voters are expected to exercise their franchise tomorrow in this south Kashmir Lok Sabha constituency.
Although 12 candidates are in the fray for this seat spread over 16 assembly segments in four districts, the contest is expected to be a direct fight between Beg and Mufti.
Also Read
Of the 16 assembly segments in Anantnag seat, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) MLAs represent 12, the Congress two and the National Conference (NC) and the CPI-M one each.
Voting will be held in the shadow of fear as a Congress sarpanch, his son and a village official were shot dead in Tral area of Pulwama district on Monday night while a PDP sarpanch was shot dead by militants last Thursday in nearby Awanitpora area of the district.
Asked about reports of some pachayat members tendering their resignation in the wake of the killings, Rural Development Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar said, "If they (Panchayat members) feel it right to tell the media that they have resigned, so let it be.
"It is not the time to talk about if anyone has put in papers officially," Sagar said.
Panchayat members have become a soft target for militants as seven of them were killed in 2012 and 2013.
All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference, a representative body of over 33,000 panchayat members in the state, is angry with the state government over the spate of killings.
The Panchayat Conference in a statement accused the coalition government of turning a blind eye towards the security of panchayat members.
Security agencies have classified 83% of the 1615 polling stations in the constituency as sensitive or hypersensitive.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
SAVE 25%
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Subscribe
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
SAVE 25%