Kashmir polls: Youngsters cast votes

Srinagar: Balloting began Tuesday in 15 assembly constituencies in the first of the five-phase elections in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

Though voting was slow at most places, young voters casting their franchise for the first time queued up at the Hariganimen polling booth of the Kangan constituency in Ganderbal district.

Dressed in traditional Kashmiri attire, the voters at the booth braved freezing temperature.

The total number of registered voters at this booth are 642 - 335 males and 307 females - of which around 50 votes had been cast by 8.30 a.m.

Mamina, a 20-year-old student, told IANS: "I will vote for somebody who will vote for development of this backward area."

Over a million voters will get to decide the political fate of 123 candidates who are in the fray in the state.

Two districts in the Kashmir Valley, two in the Ladakh region, and three in Jammu region will vote Tuesday.

A total of 1,050,250 electors are eligible to exercise their franchise at 1,787 polling stations.

The highest number of candidates, 13 each, are in Bhaderwah and Bandipora, while there are just two candidates in Leh.

Voters, mainly young men and women, queued up at a polling booth in Jammu and Kashmir's Ganderbal district, braving temperatures below the freezing point.

Dressed in traditional Kashmiri attire, many young voters were spotted at the Hariganimen polling booth of the Kangan constituency in the district.

The total number of registered voters at this booth are 642 - 335 males and 307 females - of which around 50 votes had been cast by 8.30 a.m.

Mamin, a 20-year-old student, told IANS: "I will vote for somebody who will vote for development of this backward area."