Omar Abdullah questions EC's decision to start polling at 0600 hrs in civic polls second phase

SRINAGAR: Questioning the decision of Election Commission (EC) to start polling at 0600 hrs in Jammu and Kashmir in the second phase of Urban Local Bodies (ULB) elections, National Conference (NC) vice-president alleged that it was done as journalists won't be around to verify the genuineness of voters at that very early hour.

''Why are polling booths opening at 6AM? If I believed conspiracy theories I'd believe it's because journalists won't be around to verify the genuineness of voters at that very early hour," Mr Abdullah, who is the former chief minister of the state, wrote on micro-blogging site twitter.

Why are polling booths opening at 6AM? If I believed conspiracy theories I’d believe it’s because journalists won’t be around to verify the genuineness of voters at that very early hour. https://t.co/mLP6n4PJWM

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 9, 2018Abdullah was reacting to a tweet which read, ''This is perhaps for the first time in history of Jammu and Kashmir that polling will start before daybreak.

Second phase polling to kick off at 6.00 am and sunrise in Srinagar is at 6.32 am.

What is the logic?'' Meanwhile, taking a jibe at the EC over the decision, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senior leader and former minister Naeem Akhtar wrote, ''3rd phase could be (from) 6pm to 6am to make it completely transparent".

Polling began on a very dull note in all the 49 municipal wards in the second of four phase elections in the Kashmir valley amid unprecedented security arrangements following strike called by separatists.

The voting started in all 270 polling stations in the state at 0600 hrs, an hour earlier against first phase when it started at 0700 hrs, and will end at 1600 hrs.