Ahead of the sixth phase of District Development Council elections, parts of Kashmir valley witnessed fresh spells of snowfall in plain areas of Srinagar and higher reaches of tourist resorts of Gulmarg, Pahalgam and North Kashmir districts of Baramulla and Kupwara.
In Jammu region, famous tourist resorts of Patnitop, Bhaderwah, Bani, Trikuta hills where the cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi is located also witnessed fresh snowfall. Due to inclement weather conditions movement of smooth traffic was also halted on the 300 km long Jammu Srinagar National Highway.
Several interior roads in snowbound areas also remained covered with thick blankets of snow.
On the other hand, two civilians were injured in a grenade attack on a police post in Sopore area of Baramulla district.
This is the third grenade attack in Kashmir valley in the last 48 hours, official sources said.
In Jammu region, Pakistan army violated ceasefire agreement by resorting to mortar shelling in Balakote sector of Poonch. According to a Jammu based Defence Spokesman, Lt-Col Devender Anand around 6.00 p.m Pakistan army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation by using small arms firing and mortar shelling in the Balakote sector of Poonch. In response the Indian army retaliated strongly, spokesman added.
Meanwhile, State Election Commissioner (SEC), KK Sharma on Saturday evening said in the sixth phase a total of 31 DDC constituencies will go to polls including 14 seats from Kashmir division and 17 from Jammu division.
Giving further details, the SEC said that against the 14 DDC constituencies of Kashmir division going to poll tomorrow, there are 124 candidates in fray including 47 females. In Jammu division, there are 121 candidates in fray for the 17 DDC constituencies in this phase, including 53 females.
748301 electors (390432 male and 357869 female voters) are going to elect their representatives in all 31 DDC constituencies, he said and added that a total of 2071 polling stations have been designated with 1208 in Kashmir division and 863 in Jammu division.