Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani asks people to boycott polls in Kashmir

Separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Friday urged people to boycott parliamentary polls in Jammu and Kashmir. Geelani, the chief of the hardliner separatist Hurriyat Conference (G), appealed to the people to demonstrate on April 23 to spread the message of boycotting polls.

"I appeal people to agitate on April 23 from morning to evening so that the message reaches to people not to vote and to boycott polls," said Geelani. He also gave a call for shutdown in the province on April 21 to protest the alleged house arrest of pro-freedom leaders and people. "I give a call for shutdown on April 21 to protest my house arrest and pro-freedom people, who have been arrested or put under house arrest," he added.

On Thursday, the parliamentary exercise crossed the half-way mark, as 121 constituencies cast their ballot in the politically important states of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal.