Talking to Kashmir Despatch, SSP Sopore Javeed Iqbal said, “In Sopore, the elections for the first phase of DDC elections will take place at 34 locations while all the security arrangements have been finalized at every level”.

He added, “As far as the candidates for DDC elections are concerned, there are few who have been provided security while most of the people are at their home with families and are campaigning there. All the preventive measures for the elections are taken by administration as well as the security forces and we are hopeful that elections will be held peacefully”.

When asked about the extra deployment of forces in the area, SSP Sopore Javeed Iqbal said, “We had requested the higher authorities about the requirement of forces and we have received exact numbers of forces, which have been deployed accordingly”.

“As far the matter of posters is concerned, it was done by local miscreants and the security forces have tackled it and we will expose them soon and they will dealt by the law”, he added.