On Thursday, Kashmiri Pandits offered special prayers at the historic Raghunath temple in Srinagar on the first day of its reopening after a gap of 36 years, coinciding with the festival of Ram Navami.
Three women, including former minister Sakeena Masood (National Conference), won elections on Tuesday to enter the male-dominated assembly in Jammu and Kashmir.
Women outnumber men in six of the eight assembly constituencies with Central Shalteng and Eidgah segments being the exceptions.
'For decades, we have heard only lofty claims. We have become accustomed to empty assurances, and it seems that political leaders see us merely as voters'
Over 2.5 million voters will decide the fate of 239 candidates in the fray for 26 Jammu and Kashmir assembly seats in the second phase of the election to be held in the Union territory on Wednesday.
'The wave of terrorism is over in Kashmir. Local people do not support it.'
Even as KPs lined up across special polling stations in Jammu amid tight security, several of them had to return without casting their vote.
This was the first general election in the valley after the abrogation of Article 370 and the enactment of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the EC said in a statement.
Pakistani troops opened fire with automatic weapons and Rocket Projectile Grenades.
"The presence of troops in residential areas is a grave threat... the sooner the rulers understand this, the better," Mirwaiz said addressing a religious function at Reshi Mohalla locality of Habbakadal in downtown city, shortly after authorities lifted restrictions on his movement.
Claiming responsible for the act, the Hai-e-allal Fallah outfit said the shopkeeper was selling narcotics-laced cigarettes and they were 'cleaning the society of such evils'.
Meanwhile, home minister Rajanth Singh said 90 per cent people in J&K keen to participate in panchayat polls.
The chief opposition in the state, the Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party has breached the stronghold of National Conference in prestigious Srinagar Parliamentary constituency by gaining a lead in five seats with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah trailing in Sonawar seat.
Geelani, chairman of hard-line Hurriyat Conference, also tried to defy the house arrest and lead a march towards the UNMOG.
Alam had been under house arrest since Thursday evening.
Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Javed Ahmad Qadri from Shopian in Jammu and Kashmir allegedly thrashed a voter inside a polling station, claiming that the latter had entered the booth without a voter slip.
The Election Commission on Saturday announced five-phase election dates for Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir
Only three per cent of women candidates have been allotted tickets in Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls.
After landslide victories in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections, the BJP is hoping to crest the tide in Jammu and Kashmir, confident of both Hindu and Muslim votes
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