Polling for the second phase of five-phased assembly elections in Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir is being held today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged people of the two states to vote in large numbers in this election. In Jharkhand, polling for all 20 Assembly seats began at 7AM and it will continue till 3 PM in 18 seats, while Jamshedpur East and Jamshedpur West will have polling up to 5PM. Nearly 33 lakh, 31 thousands voters have the option to cast their votes through the 5011 booths to choose from 223 candidates. AIR correspondent reports that 40 thousand personnel of State and Central Police Forces have been deployed to ensure free and fair election.

In Jammu and Kashmir, polling has begun in 18 assembly constituencies spread over five districts and it will continue till 4 pm at 2181 polling booths. In the 2nd phase of polling today, over 15 lakh electorate including 17,015 Kashmiri Pandit voters will seal the fate of 175 candidates. These candidates include Deputy Speaker, four ministers, 11 other sitting MLAs and also the separatist turned mainstream political leader Sajjad Ghani Lone. Unprecedented security arrangements have been made in Kulgam and Kupwara districts as also in three districts of Reasi, Udhampur and Poonch in Jammu Division following killing of sarpanch by militants in Shopian on Sunday evening. Inspector General of Police Kashmir Range, A .G .Mir told AIR that additional 220 companies of paramilitary security personnel have been deployed, besides the police for the second phase of polling in the two districts of the Valley. He said the security grid is fully geared up to foil any attempts of militants to disrupt the democratic process.