Voting in Kashmir bypoll tomorrow

Baramulla, Apr 23: Polling for the by-elections in four Assembly constituencies of Bhaderwah, from where Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad is contesting, Pattan, Rafiabad and Sangrama in Jammu and Kashmir will be held tomorrow amid tight security.
A thick security blanket has been thrown around the all polling stations in the constituencies. Almost all the polling booths have been categorised as hyper-sensitive and sensitive.

Significantly, no separatist group has called for a general strike tomorrow unlike in the past though almost all the secessionist organisations have called upon the people to boycott the by-elections.

A high pitch campaigning, which ended last evening, was witnessed in the constituencies during the entire period.

In view of the high degree of threat perception and directions of the Election Commission, security forces have been put on high alert and additional troops deployed in the constituencies.

All the contesting candidates, irrespective of their party affiliations, and the poll personnel had been provided with adequate security. The Election Commission had earlier directed the state government to provide adequate security and safe accommodation to the candidates.

''We have made adequate security arrangements to ensure free and fair polls,'' Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir K Rajendra Kumar told UNI.

He said several separatist organisations have given a poll boycott call and the militants too have threatened to disrupt the election process.

''We are a bit relaxed as the campaigning remained by and large peaceful,'' Mr Kumar said, adding adequate paramilitary forces and the Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel have been deployed for free, fair and smooth elections.

The IGP said no security personnel was brought from outside the Kashmir valley for the election duty as had been done in the past.

''We have mobilised additional forces within the Valley itself after making some adjustments. The mobilisation is in addition to the forces already deployed for counter-insurgency operations in these areas,'' he added.

The IGP said the Army has been kept out of the poll process. ''We are not deploying the Army. But, the Army will continue with its operations against the militants as usual,'' he added.

UNI