In picturesque Pahalgam, security personnel in large numberswere waiting to ferry the reporters in Gypsies. Here, they were not shown anypolling. Instead, they were asked by the 163rd battalion of the BSF, which hadput up a huge "shamiana", to join them in their snack break of hot pakodas,biscuits, cashew-nuts and tea. The tehsildar’s off-ice across the road was apolling booth but there were no signs of activity. A lone woman, Hajjra, whowalked in, was told her vote had been cast. According to offi-cial figures, 295of the 982 persons on the list had voted by noon.