Jammu: Ahead of the polls, Jammu and Kashmir government has banned the carrying of weapons by members of Village Defence Committee (VDCs) outside their jurisdiction area.

Ramban District Magistrate Farooq Ahmed Bukhari under section 144 CrPC issued prohibitory orders banning the carrying of weapons by VDC members outside the village, an official order said today.

The DM also asked them to restrict campaigning for political parties along with weapons, it said.

Ramban is going to polls in the first phase on November 25 along with 14 other Assembly constituencies.

There are over 3,000 VDCs in the state.