Polling is being held in three districts of Jammu and four districts of Kashmir valley.
Jammu And Kashmir Assembly Elections Live Updates:
Voting in the first phase of the three-phase Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir has begun across 24 constituencies in seven districts today. The Union Territory is voting for the first time in an Assembly election in 10 years. This is the also first Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370, which gave the erstwhile state special status, in 2019.
This is also the first time that Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing an Assembly election as a Union Territory. When Article 370 was abrogated, the state was divided into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Over 23 lakh voters are eligible to vote for 219 candidates, including 90 independents, in eight Assembly segments in three districts of the Jammu region and 16 in four districts of Kashmir Valley.
Polling is being held in four seats in Pulwama, two in Shopian, three in Kulgam, seven in Anantnag, three in Kishtwar, three in Doda, and two each in Ramban and Banihal.
Here are live updates on Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections:
Key candidates in Kashmir whose fate will be decided today include CPI (M)’s Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, AICC general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir, National Conference’s Sakina Itoo, and PDP’s Sartaj Madni and Abdul Rehman Veeri.
PDP’s Iltija Mufti, running from Srigufwara-Bijbehara, and the party’s youth leader Waheed Para, from Pulwama, are also the contenders to watch for in the first phase.
Jammu And Kashmir Assembly Polls: Polling Being Held In 24 Seats
The constituencies where the polling is underway include Pampore, Tral, Pulwama, Rajpora, Zainapora, Shopian, DH Pora, Kulgam, Devsar, Dooru, Kokernag (ST), Anantnag West, Anantnag, Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Shangus-Anantnag East, Pahalgam, Inderwal, Kishtwar, Padder-Nagseni, Bhadarwah, Doda, Doda West, Ramban and Banihal.
According to the Election Commission (EC), a total of 23,27,580 electors are eligible to vote in phase 1 of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. Among them are 11,76,462 male, 11,51,058 female and 60 third-gender electors.
More than 1.23 lakh youth between the age 18 to 19 years, along with 28,309 Person with Disabilities (PwDs) and 15,774 elderly voters above the age of 85 are eligible to exercise their franchise in phase one.
Voting in the first phase of the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir has begun. It will continue till 6 pm.
This is the first time that Jammu and Kashmir will vote in an assembly election as a Union Territory. When Article 370 was abrogated on August 2019, the state was divided into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
This is the first assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370, which gave the erstwhile state special status, in 2019.
Source Agencies
