Complete strike in IoK against fifth phase of Indian elections

SRINAGAR: A complete shutdown is being observed in Shopian and Pulwama districts of the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK) on Monday against fifth and final phase of Indian parliamentary elections in the territory.

The strike is being observed on the call of the Joint Resistance Leadership.

All business establishments are closed while traffic is off the roads. Stringent measures have been put in place to ensure smooth conduct of election drama on Islamabad’s Lok Sabha seat.

Mobile Internet service has been suspended in South Kashmir, while train service between Baramulla and Banihal has also been cancelled for the day.

656 candidates are contesting in seven states to choose representatives from 51 seats. States which are going to vote in Phase 5 Lok Sabha Elections are Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir.

Read more: Clashes erupt in occupied Kashmir amid complete poll boycott

The general election is taking place in seven phases. The polling dates for remaining phases of national election 2019 are May 12 and May 19.

Last week, amid complete boycott of the fourth phase of so-called Indian parliamentary elections, clashes had erupted on Monday in occupied South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

According to Kashmir Media Service (KMS), the Kashmiri youth and Indian forces clashed in Kulgam district where polling is scheduled for Islamabad Lok Sabha constituency.