India will use electronic voting machines for elections in Kashmir due to be held later this year, officials said on Saturday.
"To conduct the Assembly polls smoothly, we will be introducing electronic voting machines in Jammu and Kashmir," Election Commissioner T.S. Krishnamurthy said during a visit to the state. The machines are already used in other states in India.
He said 9,000 machines would be used in all polling stations across the state to prevent "manipulation." "This will help contain stuffing of bogus votes into the ballot boxes," the commissioner said.

Past elections in Kashmir have been marred by allegations of vote rigging and coercion. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has assured the people of Kashmir that this year's polls to the state Assembly will be "free and fair."

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Krishnamurthy is touring the state to study the situation ahead of polls, which are to be held in late September or early October. Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has said the elections will be held on time despite growing tensions between India and Pakistan following an attack on Tuesday in Jammu which left 35 people dead.

India has blamed Pakistani militants for the attack and is considering its response. Kashmir's main separatist alliance, the All Party Hurriyat Conference, has said it will boycott the polls, and over a dozen militant groups fighting Indian rule in Kashmir have warned people not to take part.

Krishnamurthy said security would be provided to all political parties taking part in the election. Polls in Kashmir are held in phases to allow troops to shift from one region to another to provide adequate security.
Bureau Report