Kashmir voters defy freezing weather

Jammu/Srinagar: Hundreds of thousands defied freezing temperatures and a poll boycott call by separatists to vote in the fourth of the seven-phase Jammu and Kashmir elections on Sunday.

An estimated 55 per cent of the 1.4 million voters in 18 constituencies of the state polled peacefully, election officials said.

Fears of violence in the Valley's separatist strongholds, turned out to be misplaced as large numbers of people came out to vote.

Barring minor incidents and anti-poll protests, balloting ended peacefully with enthusiastic voters trickling in at a steady pace.

Polling was held in 12 constituencies of Baramulla and Badgam districts in the Kashmir Valley and six in Udhampur and Reasi districts of Jammu region.

Security personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force and the local police were deployed in strength to ensure peaceful polling.

The state assembly has 87 seats.

Sopore constituency, the stronghold of hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, sprang a surprise when at least 14 per cent of residents headed to the polls.

Low turnout

Officials said the turnout may appear low but was satisfactory given the sway separatists claim to enjoy in the area.

In the 2002 elections, the fear of the militants caused only 8.09 per cent of voters to turn up for polling in Sopore. However, in Dooru, Geelani's ancestral village, there was a near total boycott.

As many as 1.4 million people were eligible to vote in the yesterday's poll for 18 seats.

By the close of polling, Uri constituency in the Valley registered the maximum 71 per cent turnout, followed by Charar-e-Sharif with 62.

In the Jammu region, Arnas reported a turnout of 76 per cent followed by Reasi, Gulabgarh, Udhampur, Ramnagar and Chenani.

In one incident, four photo journalists were hurt when police fired on poll protestors with tear-gas and hit them with batons in Arampora area in Sopore.

The photographers, who were covering the clash, alleged the security staff roughed them up. They were taken to a nearby hospital and later referred to Srinagar for better treatment.

Chief Electoral Officer B.R. Sharma regretted the incident and said action would be taken against those responsible.

In the Jammu region, there was an excitement to vote just like in the previous three phases of polling. This phase will cover the Hindu majority pockets of Jammu district. A minor clash between Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress supporters was reported from Udhampur constituency.

In another incident, around 100 people blocked the Jammu-Srinagar national highway near Udhampur when they found their names missing from the voters' lists.

Each of the constituencies in the Valley were influenced by local factors, while there were multi facetted contests in the Jammu region because of many candidate numbers.

Brisk pace: Arduous journey

Middle-aged Mohammad Yousuf, who ferries people on his pony to the base camp of the famous Hindu temple shrine of Vaishno Devi, was in a hurry to reach his village to cast his important vote.

Thousands of enthusiastic voters like him participated in brisk polling yesterday for six seats in the Jammu region, under the fourth of the seven-phase Jammu and Kashmir elections.

Yousuf's village is 35km from Katra, but the journey would take him three hours as he has to trek 12km before finding transport.

He had taken a pilgrim from Rajasthan to Vaishno Devi temple on Saturday afternoon and returned to Katra last morning.

Yousuf earned Rs450 from this trip and was rushing home. "I was so restless, worried that if my customer took long, I would lose my chance to vote," he said.

He was praying to Goddess Vaishno Devi for the success of his chosen candidate, while he waited for his customer to return. "Most of us ponywalas (those who ferry people on pony) and palanquin carriers are Muslims but we have great faith in Mata Vaishno Devi," Yousuf said.

"I prayed for my favourite candidate and I am sure with blessings of the goddess he will win," he said.

Yousuf was reluctant to say whom would he vote for. "You know it is a secret and I cannot tell you whom will I vote for. But development and progress will decide my preference."

He paused for a moment and then said, "I am going to vote for the Congress and our entire village has decided this. Gulam Nabi Azad has given unprecedented development to our area and now he needs to be given a chance to carry it forward... Look you people have delayed me. I have to reach home and take my wife and son [first time voter] to the polling station."