Voting for the second phase of the Jammu and Kashmir panchayat polls is underway at over 2,100 polling stations in the state.
The nine-phased elections, being conducted on the non-party basis, began Saturday.
The NC and the PDP are boycotting the polls over Article 35(A), which grants special rights and privileges to the "permanent residents" of the state and is facing legal challenge.
The CPI(M) and the BSP have slammed the Centre for going ahead with the polls despite the state's two main parties opposing them and the deteriorating law and order situation in the state
Polling is underway at 2,179 polling stations across the state, including 828 in Kashmir division and 1,351 in Jammu division, officials said.
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They said 4,014 candidates are in the fray for 281 sarpanch and 1,286 panch seats in the second phase.
The officials said 90 sarpanch and 1,069 panch have been elected unopposed in this phase.
In Kashmir, 490 polling stations have been categorised as hypersensitive and in the Jammu division 111, they said, adding that there are 3,29,818 electors for sarpanch seats and 2,07,796 for panch constituencies.
The officials said all arrangements, including those related to security, are in place for the smooth conduct of the polls.
PTI
