Kashmir's 'first panchayat polls'? Omar re-tweets post

Chief minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday put up a post by a fellow tweeter on his Twitter page that said the panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir could be called the first in 33 years and the one held in 2000 was only on paper.

Chief minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday put up a post by a fellow tweeter on his Twitter page that said the panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir could be called the first in 33 years and the one held in 2000 was only on paper.

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The post attributed to RT @nazir_masoodi said, "In reality this is 1st panchayat election after 33 years. 2000 was only on papers. More than 1/2 of seats remained empty."

This was posted by Abdullah on his Twitter page after the first round of the 16-phase panchayat elections was held on Wednesday.

The 2000 elections were held when his father Farooq Abdullah was chief minister. At many places in the valley, people had not exercised their franchise because of the fear of militants.

Election for six legislative council seats also got under way on Wednesday amid fears of cross voting.