A complete shutdown is being observed in Kashmir valley called by the separatist leadership against the local bodies’ polls being held today.
All shops and other commercial establishments are closed in commercial hub of Lal Chowk in Srinagar city while public transport is off the roads. A skeletal movement of private transport was seen on the roads.
Reports of shutdown have also been received from other district headquarters of the valley.
Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik has called for a shutdown today against what they called sham elections.
Meanwhile, voting is underway in 422 wards out of a total 1145 in the state during the first phase of local bodies’ poll which began at 7 am.
While queues of people were seen in polling stations in the Jammu division, the polling stations remained mostly deserted in the valley.
Two main parties, National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party, have boycotted the polls.
Security personnel have been deployed in and around the polling stations.
