J&K, Jharkhand Assembly polls, phase I: As it happened

Srinagar/Ranchi: Elaborate security arrangements have been put in place to ensure free and fair polls in the first phase of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand, which began on Tuesday amid unprecedented security.

Live updates:

19:43 pm: Omar Abdullah questioned the relation between voter turn out and anti-incumbency factor.

18:36 pm: In Jharkhand the voter turnout has been recorded 61.92% and is likely to go up, says Umesh Sinha, Election Commission.

5: 45 pm: Home Minister Rajnath Singh has lauded the people of J&K and Jharkhand for turning out in large number of voting despite threats from terror outfits.

5:34 pm: In Ganderbal 68%, Kishtwar 70%, Leh 57%, Kargil 59% and Doda 76% voting has been recorded till now, says Zutshi.

5: 33 pm: In Bandipore voter turnout has been recorded 70.3 %. During 2014 LS elections, only 35.24% turnout was recorded here , says Zutshi

5: 29 pm: There has not been any poll boycott today in J&K, says Zutshi

5: 27 pm: Jammu and Kashmir has recorded 70 percent voters turnout till the last report at 5 pm, says Zutshi.

5:20 pm: Deputy Election Commissioner,Vinod Zutshi, holds a press conference.

3.45 pm: CM Omar Abdullah thanks voters for heavy turnout in first-phase polls.

3.10 pm: Polling for first phase ends in Jharkhand.

3. 05 pm: Over 50 percent turnout registered till 2 pm in J&K, new agency PTI reported.

2.45 pm: Average polling of 46.8% recorded in 15 constituencies of J&K till 2 pm.

2.30 pm: Massive polling in J&K, 68% voting in Gurez till 2 pm, 63.5% in Kangan and 56% in Nubra & Sonawari.

1.45 pm: 48.28% voter turnout in Jharkhand till 1 pm, say reports.

1.30 pm: Improved weather fosters voting; long queues seen outside polling stations in J&K

1.05 pm: J&K CM releases voter turnout figures in parts of states till noon.

12.50 pm: Long queue of voters seen in J&K's Ganderbal and Bandipora district where separatists have given call for poll boycott.

12.30 pm: Hurriyat boycotts polls in J&K

12.15 pm: Bhavnathpur constituency in Jharkhand records 32 polling so far.

11.50 am: Re-polling recommended in two booths in Jharkhand after IEDs recovered.

11.45 am: 27% polling recorded in Jharkhand till 11 am.

11.29 am: J&K CM pleased with moderate polling in the region so far.

11.10 am: No casualty reported due to blast in Bandipore, polling underway.

11.05 am: A powerful blast reported in J&K's Bandipore district outside a polling booth. Security been beefed up in the area.

10.30 am: Union Minister and BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu urges voters in J&K, Jharkhand to participate in the electoral exercise in large numbers.

10.10 am: 18% polling recorded so far in Jharkhand till 10 am so far.

10.05 am: A landmine recovered at Hariharganj under Hussainabad assembly constituency in Palamau district of Jharkhand, say police.

9.25 am: J&K CM Omar Abdullah urges voters to vote in large numbers in the first phase of polls today.

8.45 am: Brisk polling recorded so far.

8.00 am: Polling begins in six constituencies of Jammu, five segments in Kashmir and four in Ladakh.

7.50 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to his micro-blogging site to appeal to the electorate to vote in large numbers.

7.00 am: Polling begins in 13 Maoist-affected constituencies of Jharkhand in the first phase of five-stage elections to the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly.

J&K polls

12 sitting MLAs, including seven ministers, are among 123 candidates trying their luck in 15 constituencies. A million voters will get to decide the political fate of 123 candidates who are in the fray

The Assembly segments going to polls include Kishtwar, Inderwal, Doda, Bhaderwah, Ramban and Banihal (in Jammu division); Gurez, Bandipora, Sonawari, Kangan and Ganderbal (in Kashmir), Nobra, Leh, Kargil and Zanskar (in Ladakh).

While the state police and central paramilitary force are deployed directly to provide security to the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, army has been deployed in strength to provide an outer secured atmosphere to these elections.

A total of 123 candidates including those from the National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Panthers Party, BJP, Congress, Peoples Conference and independents are in the fray for today's elections.

A total of 1,051,642 voters would exercise franchise tomorrow in the first phase of the five-phased Assembly elections.

Polling ends at 4 PM.

Many star campaigners, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi campaigned for their party candidates for the first phase of polls.

Jharkhand

A total of 32,59,536 voters will cast their votes in 3,939 polling stations in the first phase.

A total of 1,612 were declared as model polling stations while webcasting will be done from 263 polling stations. Besides, around 1,752 polling stations were declared as super sensitive and 1,104 as sensitive.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and the Bahujan Samaj Party are fighting the polls in 12 constituencies each, the Congress in seven and its alliance partner the Rashtriya Janata Dal in six constituencies.

The prominent candidates whose fate will be decided in this phase are state Congress president Sukhdeo Bhagat, Anant Pratap Deo, who switched to the BJP from the Congress, and former minister and Janata Dal-United candidate Sudha Chowdhary.

Polling will continue till 3 PM.