Incidents of stone pelting were reported on Monday from the Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir where voting is underway for the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections for the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency, said the police.
“Isolated incidents of stone pelting near polling stations have been reported from various parts of Kulgam district but the situation is under control due to the timely action of the security forces,” a police official said, adding that there was no report of any injury.
The Kulgam district is going to the polls in the second of the 3-phase polling for the seat that continues to be the hotbed of terrorism. The Lok Sabha polls to this constituency are being held in three phases due to security reasons.
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Authorities have made elaborate security arrangements to ensure smooth, fair, and peaceful conduct of polling with a heavy deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and the local police amidst the separatists’ call for the boycott of the elections and also the looming threat of terror attacks by Pakistan backed terrorists.
Security forces have also been deployed on roads and hillside areas in addition to securing polling stations and adjoining areas.
Over 3.45 lakh electors are exercising their franchise in the Kulgam district of the three-phase schedule for Anantnag Parliamentary Constituency at 433 polling stations. Kulgam accounts for the highest number of voters; 98, 298.
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The district is spread over four assembly segments comprising Noorabad, Kulgam, Homshalibugh and Devsar.
Poll authorities have curtailed the voting hours in Anantnag constituency by two hours to ensure that the poll staff and security forces return to designated places before darkness. Voting hours have been scheduled from 7 am to 4 pm instead of 6 pm.
Prominent among the 18 candidates in the fray are Hasnain Masoodi (NC), Sofi Yousuf (BJP), Ghulam Ahmad Mir (Congress) and Mehbooba Mufti (PDP).
The Anantnag parliamentary constituency spreads over four districts, Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama. Polling in the Anantnag district was held on 23 April. Polling in Pulwama and Shopian districts will be held on 6 May.