Excelsior Correspondent
— Excelsior/Younis Khaliq
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Dec 13: Stage was set for polling in 18 Assembly constituencies in fourth phase of elections in Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow. With this polling will be completed in all 46 seats of Kashmir. Election in four seats of Ladakh region was completed in the first. Only 20 seats of Jammu region will be left for polling in fifth and final phase on December 20.
Authorities have taken all possible security measures including preventive actions to thwart possibility of terror strikes by utilizing all available manpower of security and police personnel. In addition to police, 440 additional companies of para-military forces have been deployed in the constituencies going to vote on Sunday.
Several bigwigs including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed were among 182 candidates, whose fate will be decided by about 14.73 lakh electorates spread over four districts. The Election Commission has set up 1890 polling stations for the fourth phase of polling, which will complete election process in the Valley.
Samba and Vijaypur are the only two constituencies, which will go to polls in the fourth phase in Jammu region.
Deputy Commissioner, Samba Mubarak Singh said all arrangements have been made for smooth polling in the border district.
“We have made special arrangements with the permission of Election Commission of India for the polling stations falling along the International Border in Samba and Vijaypur Assembly segments,” Singh said, adding that in case of any eventuality from Pakistan, the polling stations falling within the firing range will be relocated immediately within five kilometers radius in safer zones.
Meanwhile, security has been put on maximum alert for the fourth and last phase of polls in Kashmir valley after series of militant attacks with barricades erected across Srinagar to foil any attempts aimed at disruption of polls.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s fate is being sealed in Electronic Voting Machines tomorrow along with senior NC and Congress leaders including Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mubarak Gul, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed and Ghulam Ahmad Mir.
Police and Para-military Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) are patrolling in Srinagar, Anantnag and Shopian to prevent any disruption of polls. In Srinagar barricades have been erected across city and searches of vehicles were being conducted.
The polling parties have reached the Polling Stations amid tight security with most of the Polling Station presenting a garrison look.
Police have rounded up over 200 suspicious people from across Srinagar to prevent any disruption of polls. These people, mostly, suspected stone pelters have been lodged in various Police Stations. However, police is tight lipped over these detentions.
A Presiding Officer was injured when youth pelted stones on a bus carrying poll staff in Anantnag district this evening. The bus bearing registration number JK13 269 was stoned at Sarnal in the district.
Presiding Officer Muhammad Lateef was injured in the stone pelting and was rushed to the hospital. He is Presiding Officer for polling station number 53 Sarnal Bala, Anantnag.
In Srinagar, Police today formed anti-mobile voter squads in the eight constituencies of Srinagar district to prevent any mobile voting in the district.
A police spokesman said here: “Srinagar police have constituted eight anti-mobile voters squad to check mobile voters in Srinagar that is going for polls tomorrow.”
The spokesman said that each squad will be headed by a Magistrate who will be assisted by a police officer. “Eight anti-mobile voters squads each headed by a magistrate and assisted by a police officer have been constituted in each assembly segment of Srinagar district to check mobile voters,” he said.
“The squads will act against any mobile voter on the poll day and inform the concerned zonal Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) and SSP Police Control Room (PCR)”, the spokesman said.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is contesting from Sonwar Assembly segment of Srinagar where is pitched against PDP candidate Mohammad Ashraf Mir.
Former Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who is contesting from Anantnag has almost cakewalk after the NC candidate, Dr Mehboob Beg, threw his weight behind Mufti and pulled out of race and NC had to field another candidates, Iftikhar Hussain in his place.
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