SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government has put in place unprecedented security measures in central Kashmir, where bypolls to Srinagar parliamentary seat will be held on Sunday amidst boycott call by separatists and militant groups.
J&K Chief Electoral Officer Shantmanu told New Indian Express that adequate security measures have been taken for smooth conduct of polling.
He said every polling station would be guarded by the police and paramilitary forces.
1559 polling stations have been set up for bypolls of Srinagar Lok Sabha seat and all of them have been declared as sensitive.
Shantmanu said 150 paramilitary companies would be deployed for safety of polling booths in three central Kashmir districts – Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal – going to polls tomorrow.
He said 50 paramilitary companies would be deployed outside the polling booths to maintain law and order and deal with any untoward incident.
At least 13.60 lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes in Srinagar Lok Sabha seat to decide the fate of nine candidates including opposition National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and ruling PDP’s Nazir Ahmad Khan.
The main contest, however, is between Abdullah and Khan.
The Srinagar Lok Sabha seat fell vacant after PDP’s MP Tariq Karra resigned from the party and from Lok Sabha constituency in September last year to protest State government’s atrocities against people during the unrest last year triggered by killing of 21-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8, 2016.
The security forces have conducted area domination in sensitive pockets to ensure smooth conduct of polling tomorrow besides intensifying patrolling and frisking.
IG CRPF Ravideep Sahi told New Indian Express that 50 paramilitary companies could not reach the Valley for poll duties due to closure of Srinagar-Jammu national highway.
“About 100-125 companies have reached the Valley for poll duties. We will be managing with the paramilitary companies, which are already deployed in the Valley for law and order purposes,” he said.
He said the areas around polling booths would be patrolled by police and paramilitary personnel. “Besides, Rashtria Rifles personnel would also be conducting extensive area domination patrols. Entire RR deployed in Central Kashmir would be area dominating”.
Asked whether they are anticipating stone pelting during the polling, Sahi said, “There was stone pelting in Chadoora and Beerwah areas in central Kashmir’s Budam district today. It was tackled by the security personnel”.
Unknown persons also tried to set ablaze a government school building, designated as a polling station, in Narbal area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district late night. However, the building was saved by the timely action of security men deployed in the area.
“We are geared up to deal with any kind of contingency during the polling,” IG CRPF said adding, “We are expecting stone pelting”.
On use of pellets, he said they have instructed the personnel to use the weapon as last resort and in rare of the rarest cases.
“We are hopeful that we don’t have to use it. However, in case there is danger to public life and property, then it can be used with an aim downwards towards the feet,” he said.
The IG CRPF said they have instructed their men and officials to exercise maximum restraint while dealing with law and order situation”.
In 2014 general elections, the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat had witnessed 26 per cent polling, mostly in Ganderbal and Budgam areas in central Kashmir while in Srinagar, the polling remained in single digit figures.
A political analyst said the poll percentage would also be low this time due to civilian killings during unrest last year, recent surge in militant violence and poll boycott call by separatists and militants.
The separatist leaders and militant groups have called on people to boycott elections and stay away from the electoral process. They have asked people to stage 2016-like protests during the polling.
A police official said security has been beefed up after gunshots were heard when senior PDP leader and CADP Minister Ch Zulfiqar Ali was addressing party workers at Town Hall in Achabal are in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district today.
In another incident, cavalcade of PDP Minister, Abdul Rehman Veeri, came under stone pelting at Kanelwan and Marhama villages of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district today.
Besides, a low intensity blast took place inside a government school premised designated as a polling station in Khanyar of downtown Srinagar.
It caused panic in the area.
However, a police spokesman said the blast took place due to mishandling of a tear gas canister by the security men.