Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 24: Fifteen Assembly constituencies spread over all three regions of Jammu and Kashmir will go to polls in first phase tomorrow amidst massive security arrangements with deployment of 440 additional companies of para-military forces and mobilization of entire local police force to ensure free, fair, smooth and peaceful elections in militancy-infested border State.
The State will have five phase polling, the last being scheduled for December 20 and counting for December 23.
Director General of Police (DGP) K Rajendra told the Excelsior that all security arrangements have been made for first phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir in which 15 Assembly segments-six in Jammu, five in Kashmir and four in Ladakh will go to polls. He said 440 additional companies of para-military forces apart from Armed and local police have been deployed in strength in all 1781 polling stations of 15 constituencies and other vulnerable areas to ensure that the people vote in violence free atmosphere and turn out in large number to cast their votes.
Mr Rajendra said 200 companies of para-military forces have been deployed in Chenab Valley of Jammu region, where six Assembly constituencies will vote tomorrow while an equal number of companies of Central Police Forces have been deployed for five Assembly seats of Ganderbal and Bandipora districts in Kashmir. Twenty additional companies of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), whose jawans were expert in trekking mountainous areas, have been deployed for security duty for four seats of Ladakh.
“Apart from 440 companies of para-military forces, large number of Armed Police and Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel have been mobilized and deployed at polling stations and sensitive areas for free and fair polling,” the State police chief said after final review of security arrangements with top brass tonight.
Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir Rohit Kansal said polling parties and para-military personnel reached all 27 polling stations of Gurez Assembly segment, falling in Bandipora district, by road, which remained open in the absence of snowfall. Initially, air sorties were planned for all 27 polling stations of Gurez constituency but since the roads remained open as there was no snowfall, the election staff and para-military personnel reached there by road, he added.
Gurez has minimum number of 27 polling stations in Jammu and Kashmir and only 17554 electorates.
Kansal said all arrangements have been made for free and fair polling in all five Assembly segments of Kashmir in Bandipora and Ganderbal districts tomorrow.
Polling will take place from 8 am to 4 pm.
To monitor free and fair polling and keep surveillance, the Election Commission has deployed 225 micro observers at sensitive polling stations, which had already been identified by the District Electoral Officers. The Commission will be doing web casting at 160 polling stations. The Commission has installed 118 video and 150 digital cameras in different polling stations to monitor the election process tomorrow.
Official sources said Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), polling staff, police and para-military personnel have been airlifted to 44 polling stations in Marwah, Dachchan and Warwan in Kishtwar districts in 21 sorties of Indian Air Force (IAF).
“The airlifted staff was well in place and has taken control of all 44 polling stations. They have sanitized the polling stations with the help of local police and started patrolling in upper reaches to monitor movement of anti-national elements,” sources said.
Of three districts of Chenab Valley, Doda was virtually militancy free while some militants were still present in Ramban and Kishtwar districts but they were lying low due to pressure maintained on them by Army and police and in the absence of local support and weaponry. However, taking no chances, police and para-military personnel have taken control of mountainous areas of Chenab Valley to ensure that the left out militants didn’t get any chance to disturb the elections.
According to sources, air sorties were not required for five polling stations of Gandoh as proposed earlier in the contingency plan as the roads were open and the polling and para-military personnel reached there by road.
However, in Kargil district comprising two Assembly constituencies of Kargil and Zanskar, men and material were airlifted to 12 polling stations-10 falling in Zanskar and two in Kargil segments, SSP Kargil Sujit Kumar said, adding all arrangements have been made for peaceful polling in the district, which has large area bordering Pakistan but the border there is peaceful for past several years. Kargil town falls within the firing range of Pakistan and, therefore, the administration was ready with Contingency Plan if required.
In Leh, polling staff and para-military jawans were airlifted to five polling stations, sources said.
About 10.61 lakh electorates were eligible to cast their votes to elect 15 MLAs in first phase of polling tomorrow.
Fate of seven Ministers and several other bigwigs was at stake in first phase of polling. They included Works Minister Abdul Mujeed Wani (Doda), Urban Development Minister Rigzin Jora (Leh), Higher Education Minister Mohammad Akbar Lone (Sonawari), Forests Minister Mian Altaf (Kangan), Minister of State for Home Sajjad Kitchloo (Kishtwar), Minister of State for Power Viqar Rasool Wani (Banihal) and Minister of State for Animal and Sheep Husbandry Nazir Ahmad Gurezi (Gurez).
Sitting MLAs Nizam-ud-Din Bhat (Bandipora), Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mohammad Sharief Niaz (Bhaderwah) and Ghulam Mohammad Saroori (Inderwal) were also in the fray in Phase-I of elections.
Of 15 seats going to polls, NC holds eight, Congress six and PDP one in the outgoing Assembly. Though the BJP has no MLA from 15 seats going to elections in Phase-I, it had polled impressive number of votes in all six segments of Chenab Valley and three out of four seats in Ladakh region in this year’s Lok Sabha elections and the party was further hoping to improve its performance in the Assembly polls.
Six seats of Chenab Valley in Jammu region, which would go to polls in first phases included Kishtwar, which has 78,849 electorates and 143 polling stations, Inderwal with 83,568 votes and 131 polling stations, Doda having 83,292 voters and 139 polling stations, Bhaderwah with 1,04,354 votes and 152 polling stations, Ramban with 85902 electorates and 121 polling stations and Banihal with 78072 electorates and 97 polling stations.
In Ladakh region, Nobra segment has 13054 electorates only and 63 polling stations while Leh has 67736 votes and 211 polling stations. Kargil segment has 59440 votes and 176 polling stations while Zanskar has 20696 voters and 83 polling stations.
Kashmir Valley’s five Assembly segments going to polls in Phase-I are Gurez with 17554 votes and just 27 polling stations, Bandipora with 98375 electorates and 124 polling stations, Sonawari with 99421 voters and 112 polling stations, Kangan with 69408 votes and 97 polling stations and Ganderbal has 90529 electorates and 111 polling stations.
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