Brisk polling in third phase of Jammu and Kashmir polls

Brisk voting was witnessed in the north Kashmir's district of Kupwara that voted in its five constituencies in the third phase on Sunday under intense security. Voting in all the five constituencies of Karnah, Kupwara, Lolab, Handwara and Langate began on a low key but picked up later as temperature rose breaking the morning chill.

Long queues of voters including many women were seen in the all the five constituencies which witnessed brisk voting.

Talking to media-persons on Sunday evening, the Kashmir divisional commissioner, Masaud Samoon said that the overall percentage in all the five constituencies was tentatively at 61.32 percent and was bound to rise. Samoon said Karnah recorded 79 percent, Kupwara had 60.52 percent polling, Lolab witnessed 64.05 percent polling, Handwara 59.07perecnt polling, and Langate had 53.56 percent polling.

Samoon said polling in some five to six polling stations of Kupwara constituency was still going on and information from about 20 polling stations mostly in Karnah, Kupwara and Langate constituencies was still awaited.

The separatists call for boycott to the polls and march to Kupwara today forced the authorities to seal off the district, and create curfew like condition in other parts of the valley.

At Trehgam village in Kupwara district which is the home town of the hanged pro-independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front founder Maqbool Bhat, anti-poll protestors clashed with police who responded by batons resulting in injuries to two women.

The authorities had made elaborate security arrangements in capital city and other towns to foil separatist attempts to take out anti-poll marches. Strict security restrictions remained in force in Srinagar the whole day.