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Polling rescheduled in parts of J&K

The first phase of the panchayat polls, being held after 23 years, began in the border belt of northern Kupwara district early on Monday morning.

Polling was, however, rescheduled in the rest of Jammu and Kashmir.

Polling is being held in the border belt for 23 constituencies of sarpanchs and 156 panchs.

From early morning, people, braving cold, started queuing up outside polling stations at Teetwal, Dangdar and Keran blocks of the border district.

Deputy commissioner (Kupwara) Haq Nawaz told rediff.com over the telephone that polling, which started at 0900 hours IST, was going on smoothly. He said that adequate arrangements were made for peaceful conduct of the polls in the border areas.

Nazaw said that voter turnout till 12:15 hours IST in all three blocks was 15 per cent.

Polling, he said, would continue till 14:00 hours IST, immediately after which counting will begin.

''By late at night, counting will end,'' he added.

He said that Tahira Jan, who he said was 120 years old, also voted in Karnah, despite the cold.

Polling is peaceful in Rajouri district of Jammu region, too.

Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah told a function in Srinagar on Monday that the state government was firm on transferring power to the grassroots to ensure people's participation in developmental activities at the lowest level.

Abdullah said the polls would be held and there was no question of deferring them.

Abdullah, who on Sunday faced an attempt on his life, said only the dates were rescheduled so that security personnel, presently busy with the Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh, would be free to ensure smooth conduct of the panchayat polls in J&K.

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