NEW DELHI: Voters in Kashmir defied bitterly cold weather and separatist calls for a boycott at the first stage of elections in the troubled Himalayan province by turning up at the polls in surprisingly large numbers.

Long queues were reported at many polling stations in the 10 constituencies contested in the Jammu and Kashmir state elections on Monday. Officials said 55 per cent of voters participated in the first stage of polling.

The bigger-than-expected turnout allayed Indian fears of an embarrassingly low count, which had threatened to embolden the separatist protesters in Kashmir.

A massive security force was deployed but few incidents of violence were reported.

The Kashmir Valley has been disputed by India and Pakistan for more than 60 years and fighting has claimed tens of thousands of lives in the past 20.

In August and September, a popular uprising against Indian rule was forcefully repressed by security personnel.

Matt Wade