All arrangements in place for first phase of Kashmir assembly polls

On the eve of first phase of polling in 15 assembly constituencies of seven districts of Jammu and Kashmir, poll staff and security forces reached all the 1,787 polling stations in these constituencies Monday evening.

District election officers told IANS in Ganderbal, Bandipora, Leh, Kargil, Kishtwar, Ramban and Doda districts of the state Monday evening all polling stations have been fully secured by an adequate number of state police and paramilitary forces.

"Poll staff, sector magistrates and polling material including EVMs etc have reached all the 1787 polling stations where voters will exercise franchise tomorrow (Tuesday).

"The polling staff is staying at the polling stations for the night and all these polling stations have been secured by deployment of security forces", a senior official of election commission in Jammu and Kashmir told IANS in winter capital Jammu.

While the state police and central paramilitary force are deployed directly to provide security to the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, army has been deployed in strength to provide an outer secured atmosphere to these elections.

Senior police officers in mountainous Doda, Bhaderwah, Ramban, Bannihal and Gurez assembly constituencies said a high level of alertness is being maintained to ensure that Tuesday's polling takes place peacefully.

A total of 123 candidates including those from the National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Panthers Party, BJP, Congress, Peoples Conference and independents are in the fray for tomorrow's elections.

A total of 1,051,642 voters would exercise franchise tomorrow in the first phase of the five-phased assembly elections.

Polling begins at 8 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. Tuesday.