Militants threw grenades at two polling stations in southern today, killing one person, during voting in national polls in one of the most violence-prone parts of the Himalayan territory.
Three people were wounded when one of the grenades landed beside a polling centre in Anantnag, the sole Kashmir constituency voting in the fourth round of the five-phase national election. Another grenade exploded outside a polling station in rebellious Kokernag town, wounding a soldier.
Police also fired shots and tear gas to disperse an anti-poll rally in Kashmir as India's election entered a decisive phase today with signs the ruling Hindu nationalists are clawing back lost ground.
More than 100 million people are eligible to vote in this round of the world's largest democratic exercise - which includes Prime Minister Atal Behari's Vajpayee's seat in Uttar Pradesh, the most populous and politically most pivotal state.
Hundreds of demonstrators shouting "We want freedom! No election!" protested in Anantnag, the only Kashmiri constituency among the 83 seats voting across seven states. No one was hurt.
But at least nine people were injured overnight when separatist rebels, who have called for a poll boycott, attacked several heavily fortified voting stations across Anantnag.
However, the fourth of five rounds, was largely peaceful as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) struggles to win a majority in the 545-seat lower house.
Voters began trickling into polling stations this morning in seven states, from troubled Kashmir and the crucial northern Hindi heartland of Uttar Pradesh to the sweltering deserts of Rajasthan.
After shock exit polling from last week's third round showed Mr Vajpayee and his allies battling to win a parliamentary majority, polls this week show them edging closer to the 273 seats needed.
Despite uncertainty over the coalition's majority, there is little doubt the BJP will be the largest party in the new parliament and the front runner to form the next government. Counting and results are due on May 13th.