Assembly polls: Phase 3 polls in J-K, Jharkhand amid heightened security

Srinagar/Ranchi: Third phase of polling for Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand Assembly seats will be held on Tuesday amidst heightened security.

In Jammu and Kashmir, where polling will take place in 16 segments will see deployment of double the number of security forces requisitioned for earlier two phases, sources said. All the seats going to polls in this phase are in politically sensitive Kashmir Valley, parts of which remain militancy-infested.

Officials refused to give out the exact number of security forces being deployed.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah contesting from Beerwah in central district of Budgam instead of his traditional stronghold Ganderbal and three of his Cabinet colleagues and 10 other sitting MLAs are among 144 candidates in the fray.

The first two phases of the polling had witnessed above 70 per cent voter turnout.

In Jharkhand, former Jharkhand chief minister Babulal Marandi, ex-Assembly speaker C.P. Singh and three ministers along with 284 candidates are in fray for 17 seats, which are going to polls in the third phase.

In the earlier two phases of polling, the voter turnout in the state was 61.92 per cent and 64.68 per cent respectively.