Twenty Assembly segments, spread over three districts, will be going to polls in the fifth and final phase of elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday amid tight security.
A high turnout is expected as the final phase of voting will be held in Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri districts, all in Jammu region.
The fate of 213 candidates, including high profile nominees like Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader Tara Chand and his three Cabinet colleagues Sham Lal Sharma, Raman Bhalla and Ajay Sadhotra, will be decided in the final phase of polling.
As many as 250 polling stations have been declared hyper-sensitive and 366 as sensitive.
Interestingly, in Nagrota segment of Jammu district ruling National Conference leader Devinder Singh Rana, brother of BJP parliamentarian and MoS in Prime Minister’s Office Jitendera Singh, is in contest against Nand Kishor Sharma, brother of another BJP MP Jugal Kishor.
Basholi constituency is another interesting battle ground as former Congress MP Lal Singh who is contesting on BJP mandate this time will be challenged by sitting BJP MLA Jagdish Raj Sapolia, who this time is contesting on Congress ticket.
The NC and the Congress have fielded all their sitting ministers, MLAs and almost all losers of 2008 for 20 seats while the BJP has dropped its seven sitting MLAs and brought in various new faces on 20 seats. The PDP has also fielded new faces in some of the seats.
Authorities have set-up nearly 2,400 polling stations in 20 constituencies to facilitate 18,28,904 voters, including 9,59,011 males and 8,69,891females, besides two trans genders. Of 20 constituencies going to polls on Saturday, six segments have over one lakh votes.
Sources said more than 400 companies of CRPF have been deployed for the last phase of polling apart from the regular deployment of police. J&K Director General of Police K Rajendra said elaborate security arrangements have been made across the three districts for smooth polling.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks