Srinagar: Tight security arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of the third phase of Jammu and Kashmir polls in 27 Assembly constituencies on October 1 with vigil being maintained in the state in the event of escalated violence in Pulwama and Anantnag districts.

"All necessary security arrangements have been completed and counter-terrorist groups have been deployed to thwart any attempt of militants to intimidate voters," director general of state police A K Suri said.

Anantnag and Pulwama districts saw a sudden spurt of violence with four assassination bids on state Tourism Minister Sakina Itoo and attack on Nationalist Congress party candidate from Devsar Assembly constituency Khaleeda Mushtaq.

Asked whether there were any specific militant intercepts suggesting disruption of polls, Suri said "there has been no specific intercepts but we are leaving nothing to chance and have attempted to make a fool proof arrangements".

On the role of Army troops in ensuring security, he said the troops will have maintained area domination but will have nothing to do with the poll security.

To a question whether the Army was being deployed for the fourth phase of polls in Doda district as reported by a section of media, the state police chief said these reports are totally baseless and the Army will only have area domination and sanitisation of the area but will do nothing with the poll security.

The two districts in Kashmir Valley, where almost all of the 2,000 polling stations have been declared hypersensitive, have 103 candidates in fray after three Congress candidates withdrew from the race and a Panther's party aspirant Vinod from Pahalgam segment was killed by militants.

The October 1 election, in which 120 candidates are contesting from Kathua and Udhampur districts, will seal the fate of two ministers of Farooq Abdullah's cabinet Bashir Ahmed Nengroo from Pulwama segment and Sakina Itoo from Noorabad.

PTI