Stage set for polling in crucial UP by-elections tomorrow
A total of 34 lakh voters will decide the fate of 90 candidates contesting the bypolls from nine assembly constituencies.
Top separatist Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was on Sunday put under house arrest in Srinagar as a precautionary measure on the eve of first-phase of the municipal elections in Jammu-Kashmir.
Mirwaiz took to Twitter to announce his house arrest.
“Under #HouseArrest!Peculiar”Democratic”process of elections“gearing up “as huge deployment of forces,PSAs, incarcerations,house arrests,raids Curbs,internet bans gather momentum! Not to mention the unknown contestants and amused public ! What mockery of democracy is at display!” he wrote.
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Under #HouseArrest!Peculiar”Democratic”process of elections“gearing up “as huge deployment of forces,PSAs, incarcerations,house arrests,raids
Curbs,internet bans gather momentum! Not to mention the unknown contestants and amused public ! What mockery of democracy is at display!— Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (@MirwaizKashmir) October 7, 2018
Separatists have given the call for boycott of polling that will be held on Monday between 7 am to 4 pm. Three other phases of polling will be held on 10, 13 and 16 October and counting of votes will be done on 20 October.
At total of 79 municipalities, including two municipal corporations of Jammu and Srinagar, will witness first-phase of polling on Monday, 8 October.
Meanwhile, security has been tightened throughout the state and security personnel have taken positions to prevent any untoward incident.
Several areas in the South Kashmir have been cordoned because of threat of terrorists against the elections. Searches were being conducted in certain areas. An additional 400 companies of central security forces have been deployed to ensure smooth polling.
Vehicle check and frisking points have been established on the roads.
Most candidates have been lodged in police lines and police stations, particularly in Kashmir, to provide them security.
CRPF personnel have been deployed in strength outside the polling booths.
Governor Satyapal Malik had on Saturday reviewed the security scenario in a meeting with top brass of Army, CRPF, police and central and state intelligence agencies.
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