As the consultations with political parties, state and central governments for their inputs on poll preparedness and security situation have already been held, the Election Commission of India is understood to have geared up exercise for holding Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir in November1. On September 10, the Election Commission headed by CEC N. Gopalaswami held a two hour-long meeting with J&K Chief Secretary S.S. Kapur and DGP Kuldeep Khoda in New Delhi for assessing the ground situation. The state officials projected a requirement of more than 600 companies of security forces for the smooth conduct of polls.

Reports noted that since January 2008, Pakistani troops had violated the five-year-old cease-fire agreement 32 times. Nearly 110 infiltration bids have also been reported in the last eight months from across the Line of Control (LoC)2.

Security forces gunned down nine militants in three separate incidents of encounters in the Kashmir valley on September 27. While a soldier lost his life, twelve others, including eight civilians were wounded. Six of the militants were foreigners3. Earlier on September 21, four militants were killed in a fierce gunbattle on the LoC in Poonch district. A soldier was also killed in the gunfight4.

• 1. “EC gears up to hold elections in November,” Daily Excelsior, September 24, 2008, at http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/web1/08sep24/news.htm#1
• 2. “Two more militants, jawan killed on LoC in Poonch,” Daily Excelsior, September 23, 2008, at http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/web1/08sep23/news.htm#2
• 3. “9 militants, soldier killed in Valley encounters,” Daily Excelsior, September 28, 2008, at http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/web1/08sep28/news.htm#1
• 4. “4 militants killed in gunbattle on LoC,” Daily Excelsior, September 22, 2008, at http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/web1/08sep22/news.htm#7