Voting begins for 1st phase Assembly polls in J&K
The polling for the first phase of elections to J-K Legislative Assembly in 24 constituencies across seven districts of Jammu & Kashmir began on Wednesday morning.
According to an official spokesperson, “long queues of enthusiastic voters are waiting for their turn to exercise their right to franchise.”
The polling began at 7:00 AM in all 3276 polling stations across the 24 Assembly Constituencies of seven districts. Earlier, mock drills were also conducted in all the polling stations. “The District Administrations has made elaborative arrangements at all polling stations for smooth polling,” the spokesperson said.
It is after 10 years, assembly polls are being held in Jammu and Kashmir. 219 candidates are in fray for the first phase of three phased polls.
The voting will take place from 7 am to 6 pm amid tight security arrangements. Of the seven districts going to the polls, Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam fall in Kashmir division, and Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar in Jammu.
In the Kashmir division, the polling will be conducted in 16 seats: Pampore, Tral, Pulwama, Rajpora, Zainapora, Shopian, DH Pora, Kulgam, Devsar, Dooru, Kokernag (ST), Anantnag West, Anantnag, Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Shangus-Anantnag East and Pahalgam. Eight seats fall in Jammu division: Inderwal, Kishtwar,
Padder-Nagseni, Bhadarwah, Doda, Doda West, Ramban and Banihal.
The prominent candidates in the first phase include Congress general secretary and former J&K unit president Ghulam Ahmad Mir, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter Iltija Mufti, senior CPM leader Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami, prominent PDP face Waheed Para and Jamaat-backed Kulgam candidate Sayar Ahmad Reshi.
The National Conference and the Congress have been contesting under a pre-poll alliance while the Jamaat-e-Islami and Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid’s Awami Ittehad Party forged a “strategic pact” last week. Jamaat has entered the fray for the first time in over 35 years. It is backing several Independent candidates too.
In a statement, J&K election officials said of the 23,27,580 voters, 11,76,462 are men, 11,51,058 women and 60 of third gender. About 5.66 lakh voters are in the age group of 18 and 29 years and 1.23 lakh of them are aged 18 to 19 years.
As many as 3,276 polling stations had been established and all would be covered under webcasting, said officials. Twenty-four polling booths each would be managed by women (called ‘Pink Polling Stations’), differently abled and youth, they said. Twenty-four green polling stations have also been established to spread the message about environmental conservation.
Of the 219 candidates in the fray, the maximum 64 are in Anantnag district, followed by 45 in Pulwama, 27 in Doda, 25 in Kulgam, 22 in Kishtwar, 21 in Shopian and 15 in Ramban.
Maximum 64 candidates in Anantnag
- Of the 219 candidates in the fray, the maximum (64) are in Anantnag district, followed by 45 in Pulwama, 27 in Doda, 25 in Kulgam, 22 in Kishtwar and 21 in Shopian.
- Twenty-four polling booths each will be managed by women (called ‘Pink Polling Stations’) and differently-abled.
- 24 constituencies going to the polls in the 1st phase
- 16 of these seats in Kashmir division
- 8 segments fall under Jammu division
- 7 districts — four in Kashmir, three in Jammu — covered
- 219 nominees in the fray
- 23.27 lakh voters eligible to exercise franchise
Prominent candidates
J&K Cong ex-chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter Iltija, CPM’s Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami, PDP’s Waheed Para, Jamaat-backed Sayar Ahmad Reshi
