Jammu/Srinagar, November 24
Amid tight security, calls for boycott by separatists and freezing temperatures, 15 out of 87 Assembly constituencies in seven districts of Jammu and Kashmir will go to the polls in the first phase tomorrow.

A total of 10,61,264 voters comprising 5,58,178 men and 5,03,086 women would decide the fate of 123 candidates, including six ministers in the Omar Abdullah government in Bandipora and Ganderbal districts of Kashmir, Leh and Kargil in Ladakh and Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban in the Jammu province.

The Election Commission has set up 1,781 polling stations in 15 Assembly constituencies. The constituencies going to polls are Gurez, Bandipora, Sonawari, Kangan, Ganderbal, Nubra, Leh, Kargil, Zanskar, Kishtwar, Inderwal, Doda, Bhaderwah, Ramban and Banihal. The BSP has fielded eight candidates for the first phase polls, the BJP and National Conference 13 each, CPI one, Congress 15, NCP and SP two each, Panthers Party seven and the PDP 14.

Minister of Roads and Buildings Abdul Majid Wani, Minister for Forests Mian Altaf Ahmad, Minister for Urban Development Nawang Rigzin Jora, Minister for Higher Education Muhammad Akbar Lone, Minister of State for Home Sajjad Kichloo and MoS Nazir Gurezi are seeking re-election.

Hundreds of additional paramilitary and police personnel have been deployed to ensure peaceful polls in view of intelligence inputs of possible militant attacks and infiltration attempts on the border. As many as 520 additional companies of paramilitary forces, including the CRPF, BSF, ITBP, SSB, CISF and RAF, have been deployed in the state to ensure smooth polls, an official said.

The elections in Bandipora and Ganderbal districts would also seal the fate of three ministers and a sitting MLA. From Ganderbal, from where Chief Minister Omar Abdullah won the 2008 elections, the National conference has fielded Shiekh Ishfaq Jabbar. Omar will contest from Sonawar and Beerwah constituencies. Though separatists have issued boycott calls, trends indicate a higher turnout in Bandipora and Ganderbal districts.

J-K Phase-I: In numbers

Total voters           10,61,264

Men                      5,58,178

Women                  5,03,086

Polling stations        1,781

Security personnel   80,000

Constituencies: Gurez, Bandipora, Sonawari, Kangan, Ganderbal, Nubra, Leh, Kargil, Zanskar, Kishtwar, Inderwal, Doda, Bhaderwah, Ramban and Banihal