Voters cast votes, despite shutdown call by Separatists

Defying the boycott call by the Separatists, locals came out in large numbers to cast their votes in Kashmir on Thursday. The appeal by the All Parties Hurriyat (Freedom) Conference to stay away from the vote in Srinagar is seen as an attempt to deny New Delhi any credit for holding elections in the restive Himalayan region. But the voters termed the poll boycott as wrong and said everybody should cast their votes.