J&K polls: 12% voters exercised their franchise in initial hours

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and three of his cabinet colleagues are among 144 candidates whose fate will be decided today

Braving cold weather, nearly 12% of the electorate today exercised their franchise in the first two hours of voting in 16 constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and three of his cabinet colleagues are among 144 candidates whose fate will be decided in the third phase of polling today in the 16 seats spread across Budgam, Pulwama and Baramulla districts.

At many places, voters lined up at polling stations much before the start of the voting time at 8 a.m.

An average 11.76% of voters exercised their franchise till 10 a.m, poll officials said.

While Beerwah in Budgam district witnessed 18.16% of the voters casting their ballot, Sopore registered only 4% voting till 10 a.m, the officials said.

Uri saw over 10% of the electorate exercising their franchise, Rafiabad 12% while Gulmarg saw over 15% voters casting their ballot. Chadoora recorded 15.30%, Budgam 15.88%, Khan Sahib 16.85, Charari Sharief 13.54%, Tral 5.41%, Pampore 12.28%, Pulwama 7.62 and Rajpora 13%, the officials said.

Police said a petrol bomb was hurled by unidentified men at a polling station in Gulmarg constituency. No casualties were reported in the incident.

Barring this incident, polling across all 16 constituencies of the state, was going on peacefully.

Security arrangements in all the three districts have been strengthened in the wake of Friday's violence in which 21 persons including 11 security personnel and eight militants were killed in four incidents in the Valley.

All eyes are on Uri and Tral constituencies, which were hit by militant violence ahead of the polls. The first two phases of elections in the state saw a record turnout of over 70%, with voters ignoring boycott calls by separatists and militant outfits.