About 29 per cent votes polled in 6 assembly segments in J

Srinagar, Nov 23 (UNI) About 29 per cent voters of the total 4,93,878 voters today exercised their franchise till noon in six assembly segments, spread over Ganderbal and Rajouri district, in the second of the seven-phase elections in Jammu and Kashmir amid unprecedented security arrangements and boycott call by the separatists.

Officials said so far the polling was by and large peaceful without reports of any untoward incident from the constituencies-- Ganderbal and Kangan in the Kashmir valley, Nowshera, Darhal, Rajouri and Kalakote in the Jammu region.

Nowshera recorded the highest of 35 per cent polling during the first four hours till 1200 hrs followed by Darhal 34 per cent, Rajouri 33 per cent, Kalakote 31 per cent, Kangan 19 per cent and 16 per cent in Ganderbal.

A UNI correspondent, who visited different parts of Ganderbal and Kangan constituencies, saw a good number of voters, including women and new timers, casting their votes.

However, situation in proper Ganderbal was totally different with only few voters casting ballots. Not a single voter was seen in two polling booths set up near the District Electoral Officer(DEO) office where poll boycott demonstrators were hurling stones from house tops.

Out of 1321 voters in two polling booths there, only 80 had cast their ballots during the first five hours till 1300 hrs.

But long queues could be seen in other polling booths in the outskirts of the main town and entire Kangan.

Reports said high voter turnout was recorded in four assembly segments in Rajouri district where long queues of voters, including women and new timers, could be seen.

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