The disputed region of Indian Kashmir votes on Tuesday for the third and final day to elect its local assembly, for the first time since the revocation of its semi-autonomy status by the government in New Delhi.
In 2019, Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi placed this predominantly Muslim territory, whose full sovereignty India and Pakistan have disputed since 1947, under the authority of a governor appointed by him.
This decision fueled strong resentment among the region’s population.
During the first two days of voting, September 18 and 26, the participation rate was 61 and 57%, below the 65% recorded during the last local elections organized in 2014.
Unlike previous elections, the separatist movements, supporters of the independence of Indian Kashmir or its attachment to Pakistan, did not call for a boycott of the polls.
The Indian army has deployed 500,000 soldiers in the region to fight a separatist insurgency which has claimed tens of thousands of victims, soldiers, rebels and civilians since 1989.
The placing under supervision of Kashmir was accompanied by waves of mass arrests and restrictions on the use of the internet denounced by human rights NGOs.
Campaigning in the region, Narendra Modi boasted of having restored security and revived the local economy.
However, armed incidents continue to be recorded there and the unemployment rate remains significantly higher than the national average.
Results are expected on October 8.
Whatever they are, most of the power will remain in the hands of the federal government, whose parliamentary majority can override the decisions of the 90 elected representatives of the regional assembly.
