Voting begins for 1st phase Assembly polls in J&K

Srinagar, Sept 18 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) Bright sunshine on a clear autumn sky greeted voters as they started entering the polling stations in Jammu and Kashmir’s first of the three-phase Assembly elections on Wednesday. Security forces posted at the polling stations in Pampore Assembly constituency and Koil polling stations of the Pulwama district exchanged smiles with voters as they came out in the morning to exercise their franchise. Voters also started coming out at all other places in Anantnag, Kulgam and Shopian districts to elect their representatives to the Assembly, which are being held after a gap of 10 years. In Banihal constituency of Ramban district, Doda and Kishtwar districts of Jammu division, voter enthusiasm was visible right from the beginning of polling. Majority of the voters were men in the morning as women are expected to come out in the noon after completing their household chores. As many as 23.27 lakh voters in 24 Assembly constituencies of seven districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian in the Valley and Banihal, Kishtwar and Doda in Jammu division will decide the fate of 219 candidates on Wednesday. Authorities have made extensive arrangements of security for the first phase of the elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Given the high voltage campaign done by various political parties and their candidates, voter turnout is likely to exceed the 58 per cent recorded during the recent Lok Sabha polls. —