Omar Abdullah's fate to be sealed in Sunday polling

Srinagar: The electoral fortunes of 81 candidates, including NC's chief ministerial nominee Omar Abdullah and former PDP minister Qazi Mohammad Afzal, will be decided on when six seats in Jammu and Kashmir go to polls in the second phase amid tight security.

Nearly 4.94 lakh voters will be eligible to cast their votes at 530 polling booths in Ganderbal, Kangan, Nowshera, Darhal, Rajouri and Kalakote.

Security forces have taken position well in advance in and around the polling stations to instill confidence among the voters and foil possible attempts by militants to disrupt the polls, official sources said.

Nearly half of the 530 polling stations have been described as 'hyper sensitive' while the rest have been named under 'sensitive' category.

The centre of attraction will be Ganderbal where Abdullah is locked in a triangular contest with Afzal and Sheikh Ishfaq Ahmad of Congress though there are 9 others in the fray. Afzal had defeated Omar in 2002.

Mian Altaf Ahmed of the NC is seeking a fourth straight victory from Kangan constituency.

The fate of Ghulam Ahmad Rather (Cong), Radhay Sham Sharma (NC), Romesh Chander Sharma (Cong), NC rebels Choudhary Talib Hussain and Mohammad Sharief Tariq and Congress rebel Ashok Kumar Sharma will also be decided tomorrow.

Two women candidates Sheraz Begum (BSP) and Mohinder Kour (Independent) are also trying their luck.

Ten constituencies spread over four districts went to polls in the first phase on November 17.

The campaign in the six constituencies ended last evening on a violent note with security forces opening fire and resorting to teargas shelling on protesters in Ganderbal resulting in injury to seven persons.

Being a do-or-die battle, both NC and PDP left no stone unturned to woo voters in Ganderbal which has an electorate of 77,627.

In the adjacent Kangan constituency, Altaf is pitted against nine others including PDP's Bashir Ahmad Mir.

Eleven candidates are fighting in Nowshera constituency including Radhay Sham Sharma, Romesh Chander Sharma and Arshed Mehmood (PDP).

In Darhal, 12 candidates including Sheraz Begum are seeking entry to the state assembly.

The highest number of candidates in a single constituency is in Rajouri where 23 nominees are in the fray.

There are 13 candidates in the fray in Kalakote.