No poll boycott impact, 57 per cent votes polled in 10 segments

Srinagar, Nov 17 (UNI) Rejecting the poll boycott call by the separatists, about 57 per cent of 6,06,667 voters cast their ballots in ten assembly constituencies today in the first phase of seven-stage elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

Barring an anti-poll protest by a group of few hundred people, who were chased away by the police at Bandipora, the polling remained by and large peaceful.

However, Security forces across the state have been put on maximum alert in view of the poll boycott call given by the Coordination Committee (CC), spearheading the agitation in Kashmir and the strike call by separatists.

The spokesman said the polling began x x x picking up from para five of Dr 25 ''Election J&K fourth lead polling''.

UNI BAS AKJ CS1841