Elaborate security arrangements are in place for the third round of voting in elections in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Polling is being held on Tuesday for 27 seats in the four districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Udhampur and Kathua.

Militants fighting against India rule in Kashmir have threatened to disrupt the polls and have targeted those taking part.

A successful vote is seen by the Indian authorities as a chance to demonstrate that a degree of normality prevails in the disputed territory.

Violent campaign

Half of the 2,000 polling stations across the area voting on Tuesday have been declared hyper-sensitive by the authorities.

There have been a series of attacks

The districts of Anantnag and Pulwama in the Kashmir Valley have witnessed particularly extensive violence in the run-up to the polls.

Three unsuccessful attempts were made on the life of the state's minister for tourism, Sakina Itoo.

Another woman candidate, Khaleda Mushtaq, sustained serious injuries in a landmine explosion last week.

Her father, two supporters and a police guard were killed.

However, the state's chief electoral officer, Pramod Jain says security forces have been deployed to prevent the repetition of such attacks on polling day.

Key resignation

In another development, Omar Abdullah, a key figure in Kashmiri politics, has said that he will be resigning from the government in Delhi.

I would rather sit in opposition than enter into an unholy alliance with parties like the BJP, PDP and Congress

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah

Mr Abdullah, who is currently India's minister of state for foreign affairs, is the son of the Kashmir state Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah.

He is widely expected to succeed his father if his National Conference party wins the state elections in Kashmir.

Omar Abdullah told journalists in Srinagar that as president of the party, he would advise them not to have any ministerial representation in the present Delhi government, led by the BJP.

He said the party would continue to support the government in parliament.

But he said his party's future relationship with Delhi would be dictated by the progress of dialogue with the central government over the issue of autonomy for Kashmir.

Observers say Mr Abdullah's priority is now state politics in Kashmir and that as a result, he wants to appear more independent from Delhi.

Pakistan accused

Omar Abdullah also accused Pakistan of meddling in the elections.

He said: "On the whole, the government of India will find itself quite disappointed with Pakistan's attitude on these elections."

The territory has witnessed an uprising against Indian rule for more than a decade, and India accuses Pakistan of actively backing militant violence in the territory.

Separatist groups in Kashmir have declared a boycott of the polls, saying elections cannot be a substitute for a plebiscite to decide whether to remain under Indian rule.

Their call for a boycott evoked a strong response in some parts while it was largely ignored in other areas of state.