NEWSLINKS US EDITION NEWS DEAR REDIFF THE STATES ARCHIVES
A M Sofi in Srinagar
The stage is set for the first phase of polling on Monday in 23 assembly constituencies, spread over five border districts of Jammu and Kashmir, amid tightest-ever security arrangements in view of recurrent attempts by militants to disrupt the poll process in the state.
Leh district, which was to go to the polls in the first phase, has already returned two candidates for the ninth assembly unopposed.
Security forces and police have taken positions in and around 2052 polling booths in Kupwara, Baramulla, Rajouri, Poonch and Kargil to instil confidence among the voters and to foil the designs of militants to disrupt the electoral process, officials said.
Almost all polling stations have been described as either hypersensitive or sensitive, they said.
An electorate of nearly 1.5 million will choose their representatives in the first of the fours phases of polling.
Their counterparts in 28 assembly segments will register their choice on September 24 in the second phase, 27 assembly constituencies in the third phase on October one and six segments of militancy-infested Doda district in the fourth and final phase on October eight.
The speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly, Abdul Ahmad Vakil, six ministers, a Parliament member and a militant-turned politician, Kuka Parray are among 162 candidates whose electoral fortunes will be decided in the first round of polling.
Although the women electorate are slightly less than half of the total electorate, there is no woman contestant figuring in the first phase of election.
Sonika Pandita, a migrant Kashmiri pandit, who had filed the nomination from Gulmarg constituency, however, was not allowed to contest, as she was declared underage.
Such is the euphoria for democratic process that a record number of 228 candidates filed their nominations for the 26 constituencies going to the polls in the first phase.
However, the killing of Law Minister Mushtaq Ahmed Lone and an independent candidate Sheikh Abdul Rehman, somewhat dampened the spirits of the contestants.
There will be a straight contest in two constituencies of Gulmarg and Kargil, where two ministers, Sheikh Mustafa Kamaal and Qammer Ali Akhoon are seeking re-election to the assembly.
In two other constituencies of Uri and Pattan, there will be a triangular contest, while the rest will witness multi-cornered fight.
Out of 14 assembly seats of Kupwara, only Gulmarg is witnessing a straight contest, where Sheikh Mustafa Kamaal, brother of the Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, is facing a formidable opponent in Ghulam Hasan Mir, former minister and senior leader of People's Democratic Party. Lolab will go for polling on October eight following the killing of Lone.
Uri and Pattan assembly segments are witnessing a triangular contest between National Conference nominees and opposition Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party candidates.
Education Minister Mohammad Shafi is facing a tough fight from Congress candidate Taj Mohiuddin and Mohammad Akbar of BJP.
In Pattan, Social Welfare Minister Moulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari is facing an uphill task from Abdul Ahad Itoo of Congress and Nazir Ahmad Mir of J&K Awami League.
In 1996 elections, NC had bagged all but four seats which are going to polls in the first phase.
While it conceded Sonawari seat to the president of the J&K Awami League, Kuka Parray, it lost two seats in Rajouri and one in Leh.
Officials are expecting a good turnout at all the constituencies in view of further beefing up of security arrangements.
The electorate in Jammu and Kashmir will for the first time use Electronic Voting Machines in the elections. As many as 3500 employees from UP and Punjab have already arrived for poll process. Besides an equal number of local employees are being deployed on duty for the purpose, poll officials said.
Jammu and Kashmir Elections 2002: The complete coverage
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