Counting of votes begins for three LS seats in Kashmir

Srinagar: The counting of votes for the Srinagar, Baramulla and the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seats in J-K's Kashmir region began on Tuesday amid tight security.

There are 66 candidates in the fray, including PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah, separatist-turned-mainstream politician Sajad Gani Lone and former MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias Engineer Rashid, who is currently lodged in Tihar jail in a UAPA case.

The counting of votes for the Srinagar seat is taking place at the SKICC here, for the Baramulla seat at the Government Degree College (Boys), Baramulla, and for the Anantnag-Rajouri seat at the Government Degree College (Boys), Anantnag, and Government PG College, Rajouri.

Stringent security arrangements are in place and additional security personnel have been deployed at key places in the Kashmir Valley, the officials said.