SHAFAQNA- People in Kashmir voted Saturday amid tight security s in the first phase of local civic elections, the first since New Delhi revoked its special status last year.
Authorities deployed tens of thousands of additional soldiers in the already highly militarised region to guard the vote. Government forces laid razor wire and erected steel barricades on roads around many of the 2,146 polling stations set up for the first phase.
The elected members will have no legislative powers and would be solely responsible for economic development and public welfare of the region, AlJazeera reported.