Male (Maldives): Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on September 24 praised the people of Jammu and Kashmir for coming out in sizeable numbers to exercise their franchise in the Assembly elections ignoring the risk to their lives.

Congratulating the people of the state, he said, "It is praiseworthy" that they had come out in sizeable numbers to cast their votes "at great risk to their lives".

Prime Minister is here on a four-day visit to Maldives.

PTI