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ELECTIONS '96

Secure Baramulla and Anantnag await polling

Security forces in Kashmir have been put on maximum alert, as the Anantnag and Baramulla constituencies prepare for polling on Saturday.

The election, which will decide the fate of 42 contestants, has been boycotted by the All Party Kashmir Hurriyat Conference.

The maximum alert is because of intelligence reports about possible bids by Pakistan-trained militants to disrupt the election. A defence ministry spokesman said the army had been receiving reports that militants were planning to target important political leaders and government officials on poll duty.

The security forces guarding the northern sector have also intensified their vigil, apprehending trouble from across the border.

A senior army official, however, expressed satisfaction over the 'peaceful' situation along the border, pointing out there was no report of any exchange of fire between India and Pakistan in the recent past.

''Our troops are alert to meet any eventuality. But we are confident the Pak troops are not going to open fire tomorrow," he said, adding that army would have no role in the election process except for routine anti-militancy operations throughout the valley.

Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) P S Gill expressed satisfaction over the law and order situation in the valley, particularly in Anantnag and Baramulla.

''We have deployed adequate security forces to ensure trouble-free polls in both constituencies,'' he said.

All the 1,143 polling in northern Baramulla and 994 in southern Anantnag fall under the category of either 'hypersensitive' or 'sensitive'.

Official sources said more than 300 companies of central paramilitary forces besides the Jammu and Kashmir police have reached various sensitive areas in both constituencies. Forces have been flown in from Delhi and other places and, in both constituencies, can be seen deployed in strength at important public places and government buildings. Patrolling has also been intensified.

The authorities have set up 1,143 polling stations for the 757,255 voters including 332,426 women in the Baramulla constituency, spread over 15 assembly segments of the two frontier districts of Baramulla and Kupwara.

Union Minister Saifudin Soz of the National Conference is battling Congressman Abdul Gani Vakil and independent candidate Muzaffar Hussain Baig. There are 27 other candidates including Din Cheta of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the fray.

The seat was represented by Congress nominee Ghulam Rasool Kar in the 1996 election. He had defeated Ghulam Nabi Mir, an Independent by 64,981 votes.

Official reports said polling staff and material have already reached most of the far-flung and snow-covered areas in Baramulla. A helicopter is being pressed into service to take poll material for the 168 voters of Jawdara polling station in Gurez.

Gill said all measures have been taken to ensure the safety of voters who are going to cast their ballots at polling stations near the Line of Control.

''Some of our villages are coming under the range of Pakistan guns, but it is impossible to shift the entire population from those areas. We are taking all necessary measures to make sure that the voters are not terrorised,'' he said.

In Anantnag, which is spread over 16 assembly segments of the Anantnag and Pulwama districts, the authorities have set up 991 polling stations, including 293 in snow-covered and remote areas, for 799,778 voters of which 359,182 are women.

Former Union home minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed (Congress), Union Minister for Home Mohammad Maqbool Dar (Janata Dal), Mohammad Yousuf Taing (National Conference) and Shaukat Hussain Wani (BJP) are in the fray, besides nine others.

The seat went to Maqbool Dar in the 1996 election.

Reports from Anantnag said polling material and officials have already reached stations, even in the far-flung and snowbound areas. Ponies had been pressed into service to take the poll material to some inaccessible polling stations.

Meanwhile, the police on Thursday arrested about a dozen activists of the APKHC from Pattan in the Baramulla constituency for addressing anti-poll meetings. Those arrested include Mohammad Yaseen Malik, Professor Abdul Gani, Ghulam Nabi Sumbji, Abdul Ahad Waza, Javid Ahmad Mir and Shia leader Maulana Abbass Ansari.

About six senior executive committee members of the APKHC are under detention since February 26.

Earlier, state Chief Secretary Ashok Jaitley and Director General of Police Gurbachan Jagat had stated that the government would not allow anybody to intimidate voters and poll officials.

Official sources said about 200 known 'trouble-makers' were arrested from Anantnag, Pulwama, Baramulla and Kupwara districts during the past few days.

To avoid harassment and intimidation of polling staff, the government has shifted them to high security zones.

The counting of votes in the four constituencies of Jammu, Srinagar, Anantnag and Baramulla will begin Sunday morning.

A strike was observed in Pulwama, Bojibehara and Pampore on Friday. The APKHC has also called for a general strike on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the security forces averted a major tragedy when they detected and defused a powerful improvised explosive device planted by unidentified militants near the home of Ghulam Mohammad Dar, a Congress activist, at Takyabal Sopore in the Baramulla constituency.

Earlier, while campaigning, two NC activists were killed in Baramula and two others in Anantnag.

UNI, Mukhtar Ahmad

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