Azad's fate locked; 76 pc polling recorded in Bhaderwah

Jammu, Apr 24 (UNI) The political fate of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was today locked in the electronic voting machines for the Bhaderwah assembly seat, which recorded over 76 per cent polling in the by-election.

Chief Electoral Officer B R Sharma, addressing the mediapersons this evening, said eleborate security arrangements were made for the incedent-free by-election.

''Not even a single complaint of any kind, either from candidates or people, has been received'' from the constituency, he said.

Mr Sharma said 53 companies of Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and state armed police force were deployed on election duty, keeping in view of its sensitivness due to terrorist infestation in the area.

However, he said the voters percentage could increase as the reports from some polling stations were yet to be compiled.

Polling began at 0800 hrs and concluded at 1700 hrs.

Of 122 polling stations in the constituency, 44 were categorised sensitive, 48 hyper-sensitive and 20 as normal.

Besides, the main Opposition party National Conference, National Panthers Party and People's Democratic Party had not fielded their candidate for the seat this time, but only the BJP, making by-election a straight contest between its candidate Dhanantar Singh and Mr Azad.

The Assembly seat of Bhaderwah constituency had fallen vacant after former Power Minister Mohd Shrief Niaz resigned in favour of Mr Azad, who succeeds Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, according to an agreement between the coalition parterners in the state government.

In the last general election to assembly, held in 2002, a total of 54.25 per cent voters had cast their votes in Bhaderwah constituency.

A total of 90,476 voters, including 44,310 females, were to decide the political fate of both Mr Azad and Mr Singh.

UNI RKS VJ HT2130