Enthusiastic voters reached polling stations on Thursday in Kathua, Reasi and Udhampur districts of Udhampur Lok Sabha seat while voters came out in ones and twos in Srinagar Lok Sabha seat amid a shutdown.
- Woman among three injured after security forces fire pellets to chase away stone-throwing protesters in Hafroo village of Chadoora
- 1 PM: 29.6 per cent voting recorded in Srinagar and Udhampur Lok Sabha seats
- Udhampur records 44.90 per cent; Srinagar records 11.4 per cent voting
- Kathua records highest 49,7 per cent polling, Srinagar records lowest 4. 8 per cent
- 11 am: Overall voting percentage in the state 17.8
- Five per cent voting in Srinagar seat
- 26.28 per cent voting in Udhampur
- 9AM: 5731 votes were polled out of nearly 13 lakh till 9 am in Srinagar district
- 9AM: 9 per cent polling recorded in Doda district
- 9 AM: Bani 7.44 per cent; Basholi 7.1 per cent; Kathua 22 per cent; Billawar 12.31 per cent; Hiranagar 12 per cent
- Small queues of voters were seen in Kathua, Reasi and Udhampur districts right from the beginning of the poll process for the Udhampur Lok Sabha seat.
Voter enthusiasm was visible in both urban and rural voting segments of Udhampur constituency that includes Kathua, Reasi, Udhampur, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts.
In Srinagar Lok Sabha seat where extra ordinary security arrangements have been made to secure polling stations and ensure safe passage to voters, voters came out in ones and twos in rural voting segments of Ganderbal, Badgam and Srinagar districts.
Polling stations in Srinagar city that has eight voting segments, however, wore a deserted look in the morning as hardly any voter came out.
Voters came out in small numbers in rural belts of Kangan, Ganderbal, Chrar-e-Sharief, Khansahib, Beerwah and Badgam voting segments of Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.
Poll officials said voting is expected to pick up as the day warns up.
The officials face multiple challenges in Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.
Securing polling stations, providing safe passage to voters, preventing militants from disrupting the poll process and ensuring that no law and order situation builds up during the day are the main challenges faced in this constituency.
Separatists have called for a boycott of the election process to highlight the Kashmir issue.
Clashes erupted between youth and government forces at Nasrullahpora village in Budgam on Thursday as polling is underway in Srinagar constituency.
Witnesses said that clashes erupted between forces and youth in Budgam’s Nasrullahpora, where polling of the second phase of Lok Sabha elections is underway.
They said forces fired pellets and tear smoke shells to quell the stone pelting youth.
Shutdown is being observed in Kashmir valley on the poll day — second phase of Lok Sabha polls — following the strike call given by separatists.
Shops and commercial establishments remained closed on Thursday and there was thin movement of traffic on roads in several districts of valley.
The second phase of Lok Sabha polls is underway in valley where Srinagar constituency has registered low turnout since morning.
