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Re-polling underway in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir

Xinhua, April 13, 2017 Adjust font size:

Re-polling for the by-election in Indian-controlled Kashmir's Srinagar constituency began on Thursday amid tight security following Sunday's violence, officials said.

The re-polling is going on in violence-hit Budgam district's 38 polling stations.

On Sunday, violence marred the by-election in the district with people, mostly youth, coming out on roads and clashing with police and paramilitaries deployed on poll duty.

Eight people were killed and over 200 people including government force personnel were injured in the daylong clashes, forcing the Election Commission of India to defer similar polls in Anantnag constituency scheduled on Wednesday by more than a month.

The voter turnout on Sunday in Srinagar constituency was recorded at 7 percent, the lowest in decades, a result of a boycott called by region's separatist leaders.

Youth shouted anti-India and pro-freedom slogans during the election.

Reports said the agitated youth destroyed electronic voting machines, locked polling stations and even chased paramilitary personnel from the polling booths at some places.

Seven of the eight killings that took place on Sunday were reported from Budgam district.

Officials following the violence ordered re-polling in Budgam district, part of Srinagar parliamentary constituency.

Voting began at 7 a.m. local time and will end at 4 p.m..

Authorities have deployed hundreds of police and paramilitary personnel in poll-bound areas to foil attempts of violence.

"We have taken all the precautionary measures by deploying adequate security in the poll-bound areas," a local official told Xinhua. "We will not allow the attempts by some people to sabotage the process."

Some of the candidates in fray have pulled out in protest because they wanted the re-polling to be delayed.

A close contest is between Nazir Ahmad Khan of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) and former Indian minister Farooq Abdullah belonging to regional party National Conference.

Results of Srinagar constituency are expected to be counted on Saturday. Endit