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'Polls in Kashmir

to be held

despite boycott'

BOMBAY: India will hold legislative elections in Occupied Kashmir before the year-end despite threats of boycott by Moslem separatists, federal Home Minister Shankarrao Chavan said. "We are keen to hold assembly elections in Kashmir as early as possible, certainly before the end of the year," Chavan told a press conference here late Wednesday.

"We are determined to hold the elections even though we are aware of all the implications," he said, declining to elaborate.

Chavan said holding the elections despite threats of boycott by Muslim separatists "would send out a strong and positive message to the world that we are committed to reviving the democratic process in the state."

Chavan, a confidant of Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, indicated that the peace talks initiated by New Delhi with a section of Moslem militants would be put on hold until a new state legislature was elected.

Rao has tried repeatedly to hold the legislative polls in Kashmir.

Candidate attackes

NEW DELHI: A candidate for next month's parliamentary polls in India's Jammu and Kashmir state escaped unhurt on Tuesday from a gun attack, suspected by separatist militants on Tuesday, United News of India (UNI) said on Wednesday.

UNI said Ghulam Nabi Shah, an independent candidate for the Anantnag parliamentary constituency, was attacked with automatic weapons in Pinjora village.

His armed escorts fired back at the attackers who ran away, UNI said.