Brisk voting for local government in Indian-controlled Kashmir for first time after losing autonomy
The first leg of a phased election for choosing a local government in Indian-controlled Kashmir has concluded in the first such vote since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government stripped the disputed region of its special status five years ago
SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Voting for the first phase of a staggered election to choose a local government concluded Wednesday in Indian-controlled Kashmir, the first such vote since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government stripped the disputed region of its special status five years ago.
Turnout was about 59%, the region's chief electoral officer said in a statement, as voting was “incident-free and peaceful.”
Authorities had deployed thousands of additional police and paramilitary soldiers for security in the seven southern districts of the region, which has been roiled by an insurgency against Indian rule for decades. Over 2.3 million residents are eligible to cast their votes to choose 24 lawmakers out of 219 candidates in the first phase of the election.
Wearing riot gear and carrying assault rifles, troops set up checkpoints and patrolled constituencies as long lines of voters stretched around the polling booths.
