A voter waits in queue in Dumka, Jharkhand.
As Jammu and Kashmir votes in the fifth and final leg of Assembly elections today, several high-profile candidates, including Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, will try their luck in 20 seats spread over three districts, amid a strong security deployment.
After a record voter turnout in the previous four phases, particularly in the Kashmir Valley, there are expectations of a high voter turnout in Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri districts.
Unfazed by the November 27 militant attack in Arnia border belt of Jammu District in which 12 people, including five civilians and four militants were killed, high-pitched campaigning continued till Thursday evening.
213 candidates, including ministers Sham Lal Sharma, Raman Bhalla, Manohar Lal Sharma, Ajay Sadhotra, former MPs and ministers Lal Singh, Talib Hussain (both BJP) and Jitendra Babu Singh and former Deputy Speaker Hyder Malik are battling it out in this phase.
"All measures and arrangements have been put in place for tomorrow's polls," Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Division, Shant Manu told PTI.
Mr Manu said 400 companies of security personnel (each company as approximately 100 personnel) have been deployed for today's polling apart from the regular deployment of police forces.
Around 18,28,904 eligible voters, comprising 9,59,011 men and 8,69,891 women, are expected to exercise their franchise at 2,366 polling stations set up across the three border districts.
"Security grid along the India - Pakistan border has been put on alert. Multi-tier security has been put in place," the Divisional Commissioner said.
A contingency plan has also been drawn in case any firing takes place from the Pakistan side during polling and alternative polling stations have been set up for such a case, he said.
BJP has high stakes in this phase as of the 20 seats going to polls, it had got the most (10) seats in the 2008 Assembly elections followed by Congress five, NC two, PDP one and Independents two.
Meanwhile, more than 14 per cent voting was registered in the first two hours of polling in 16 assembly seats in tribal Santhal Parganas in Jharkhand in the fifth and final phase of polling today.
The fate of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren will also be decided today.The incumbent Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) legislator from Dumka is fighting both from Dumka and Barhet.
There are 208 candidates, including 16 women candidates, in the fray. Polling is taking place at 3,773 polling booths out of which 833 booths have been declared as very sensitive, while another 1,496 have been declared sensitive.
Around 22,240 security personnel have been deployed in the fifth phase.
Among other prominent candidates are Jharkhand assembly Speaker Shashank Shekhar Bhokta, Minister Lobin Hembrom, Sita Soren, who is the daughter-in-law of Shibu Soren and sister-in-law of the state chief minister, BJP national secretary Louise Marandi, Hemlal Murmu, former minister Simon Marandi and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha principal general secretary Pradeep Yadav.