Counting of votes for the six Lok Sabha seats spread overthe Kashmir Valley as well as Jammu and Ladakh regions started on Thursdaymorning.
Extraordinary security arrangements have been made aroundthe counting centres in Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag while the usualthree-tier security is maintained around the counting centres for Jammu,Udhampur and Ladakh Lok Sabha seats.
Counting for the Ladakh seat is being held simultaneously atLeh and Kargil towns.
The fate of senior politicians whose electoral fortuneswould be decided include the four-time Chief Minister and National ConferencePresident Farooq Abdullah, who is seeking re-election from Srinagar.
In Anantnag, former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti of the PDPfaces Ghulam Ahmed Mir of the Congress and Justice (Retired) Hasnain Masoodi ofthe NC.
Mehbooba Mufti faces the most serious challenge of herpolitical career in this election.
Another constituency being closely watched is Udhampur whereBJP’s Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (MoS) is seeking re-election.
Singh faces a serious challenge from Vikramaditya Singh of the Congress.