Pro freedom protests in Kulgam parts on voting day

Pro freedom protests are happening in parts of Kulgam district in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday where polling in underway for the state assembly election in the second phase

Witnesses said groups of youth shouting pro Azaadi slogans were engaged in a stone-clash with government forces in  Redwani adjacent to the main town of the south Kashmir district.

Youth hurled stones at polling booth in a government run school as government forces hurled tear smoke shells to quell the protests, they said.

Protests against elections were also reported from other areas of the town and Qaimoh.

Voters did not come out in large numbers in south Kashmir’s Devsar, Homeshallibugh, Noorabad and Kulgam constituencies initially. In the north Kashmir Kupwara district also where polling has begun for five constituencies, the voter turnout was low in the morning.

But polling improved later on.

Over 1.5 million voters will get to decide the political fate of 175 candidates in the fray. Polling started at 8 a.m. and will end at 4 p.m.

Balloting began Tuesday in 18 assembly constituencies in the second of the five-phase elections in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

The Election Commission has set up 2,181 polling stations for this phase.

Nine of the constituencies are in Jammu region — three each in Udhampur, Reasi and Poonch districts, while the remaining nine are in the valley — four in Kulgam district and five in Kupwara district.

The first phase of polling Nov 25 saw 70 voter turnout.