Srinagar: Voting began, amidst a complete shutdown, Tuesday on a dull note in Anantnag district of Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency, where polling will be held in three phases, officials said. 

Residents in most parts of the district in restive south Kashmir have stayed indoors so far, an official said.

The Joint Resistance Leadership has called for a boycott of the polls and asked people to observe a complete shutdown. 

While polling is underway in Anantnag district, voting in Kulgam district will be held on April 29 while Pulwama and Shopian districts will go to polls on May 6.

The Election Commission has curtailed the polling duration for Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency by two hours following a request from the state police to this effect. 

The voting will be held in south Kashmir areas from 7 am to 4 pm. 

The Anantnag district has 5,29,256 electors including 2,69,603 males, 2,57,540 females, 2,102 service electors and 11 transgender voters. 

The EC has also established 1,842 polling stations to facilitate smooth polling, the official said. 

The Anantnag constituency has 13,97,272 registered voters including 7,20,337 males, 672879 females and 35 transgender voters. 

There are 18 candidates in the fray for Anantnag constituency including PDP president and former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti. 

The Congress has fielded its state president Ghulam Ahmad Mir while former High Court judge Hasnain Masoodi is contesting on the National Conference ticket.