By IANS,
Anantnag : Tight security was in place for all the 1,485 polling stations in this south Kashmir Lok Sabha constituency that goes to polls Thursday in the third phase of the general elections.
The poll staff have already reached their places of posting in the four districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam where 16 assembly segments shall vote for the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, said Sheikh Mushtaq Ahmad, the district magistrate of Anantnag who is also the returning officer for the constituency.
“Contingents of police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been deployed at the polling stations to secure them and ensure free and fair polls,” a police officer told IANS here.
In view of the separatists’ 50-hour long anti-election shutdown call, markets remained closed in Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam towns and traffic also remained off the roads.
Traffic, however, plied on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway which passes through this south Kashmir Lok Sabha constituency.
Although there are 13 contestants in the fray here, the main contest is going to be between the arch rivals, the National Conference candidate Mirza Mehboob Beg and Peer Muhammad Hussain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
There was tension in the main towns of the constituency on election eve although the situation was peaceful throughout the day.