CRPF personnel test a drone, meant for aerial surveillance, on the eve of the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections, at Naushera in Rajouri district. Elections in the last of the five seats in Jammu and Kashmir take place against the backdrop of four terror incidents, including one that claimed the life of an Indian Air Force soldier and a former BJP sarpanch.
Polling officials check the election material at a distribution center before leaving for their respective polling booths on the eve of the sixth phase of Lok Sabha polls, in Rajouri district. The Anantnag-Rajouri constituency has 20 candidates in the fray, including People's Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, who is hoping to return to Parliament following her defeat in the 2019 Lok sabha polls.
Polling officials leave in a bus after collecting election material from a distribution centre. Multi-layer security arrangements have been put in place in Anantnag-Rajouri constituency spread across 18 assembly segments in Anantnag, Kulgam and Shopian in south Kashmir and Rajouri and Poonch districts south of Pir Panjal to ensure free, fair and peaceful polling.
With record-high polling in Srinagar and Baramulla, political observers feel that the south Kashmir constituency will also register a higher-than-expected voter turnout. The polling in Anantnag-Rajouri was earlier scheduled for May 7 but was deferred by the Election Commission (EC) due to inclement weather in the region.
Security forces personnel take part in an area domination route march ahead of 6th phase of Lok Sabha elections. Four election staff, including the presiding officer, will be stationed in every polling booth.