SRINAGAR: Additional companies of paramilitary forces and Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police (JKAP) have either reached or are on the way to Rajouri and Poonch for the sixth phase of polling on May 25, Daily Excelsior reported.
Deployment of additional companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Armed Police is equal in both districts. Each district will receive nearly 100 companies of paramilitary forces and Armed Police.
The deployment is in addition to forces already present in the districts. Some companies arrived yesterday, while others are expected tonight.
Troops are conducting anti-militancy search operations in Pir Panjal forests and guarding the Line of Control (LoC). Rajouri and Poonch districts share the LoC with Pakistan, and there are concerns about infiltration attempts. However, strict surveillance by the Army has prevented such incidents.
More companies of paramilitary forces may arrive tomorrow or the day after. The districts have eight Assembly constituencies, with one part of Jammu Lok Sabha seat.
The remaining seats fall in Anantnag-Poonch-Rajouri Parliamentary constituency. Polling in these areas was postponed to the sixth phase due to adverse weather conditions and road closures.
The Election Commission will use VVPATs, Ballot Units, and Control Units in the constituency, with the majority of polling stations in rural areas. Eighteen polling stations will be managed entirely by women and People with Disabilities (PwD).
Webcasting will be done from 1775 stations, and there are 90 Model Polling Stations. The constituency has 18,36,576 electorates, with a mix of male, female, and third-gender voters.
There are also first-time voters, voters aged 20-29, voters over 85 years old, PwD electorates, and service voters.
Twenty candidates are contesting, including Mehbooba Mufti, Mian Altaf, Zaffar Manhas, and Advocate Maqbool Parray. This is the first Lok Sabha election in which Anantnag has been linked with Rajouri and Poonch, dividing the constituency between Jammu and Kashmir divisions.
