Kashmir polls: Filing nominations for first phase ends Wednesday

The last date for filing nomination papers for the first phase of polls in Jammu and Kashmir ends Wednesday.

Sources said many senior ministers and politicians will file their papers Wednesday.

Polls will be held on 15 assembly seats November 25 in the first phase of the five-phased assembly elections. These are Banihal, Ramban, Inderwal, Kishtwar, Doda and Bhaderwah in the Jammu region, Leh, Nubra, Kargil and Zanskar in the Ladakh region and Kangan, Ganderbal, Sonawari, Bandipora and Gurez in the Valley.

Sitting ministers and MLAs of the regional National Conference (NC) who are likely to file their nominations Wednesday are Mian Altaf Ahmad from Kangan, Muhammad Akbar Lone from Sonawari, Sajjad Kichloo from Kishtwar, Nazir Gurezi from Gurez and Firoze Ahmad from Zanskar.

Senior Congress leaders Nawang Rigzin Jor is likely to file to fight from Leh, Abdul Majeed Wani from Doda and Viqar Rasool from Banihal.

The BJP has till date announced 49 candidates for the polls. Among them are Sheikh Rashid for Ganderbal, Abdul Aziz for Kargil, Abdul Rehman Tekri for Bandipora and Slanzin Lakpa for Zanskar.

A total of over 72 lakh voters will cast their franchise at 10,005 polling stations in the state this year. Out of these, 6,250 polling stations have been categorised as hypersensitive and sensitive.