Second phase polling begins in 6 districts of J&K
Updated: Sep 25th, 2024
Polling staff and security forces have reached their designated polling stations in six districts of J&K where voting for 26 seats in the second of the three-phase Assembly elections starts at 7 am today.
Voters started gathering at polling booths in the early morning to exercise their franchise as a clear autumn sky greeted them.
According to the latest electoral rolls, 25,78,099 lakh voters are eligible to cast their ballot in this phase comprising 13,12,730 lakh male voters, 12,65,316 lakh female voters, and 53 third gender voters.
During this phase, 93 candidates are in the fray in the Srinagar district, followed by 46 in Budgam, 34 in Rajouri, 25 in Poonch, 21 in Ganderbal, while 20 candidates are contesting in the Reasi district.
The EC has established 3,502 polling stations - 1,056 urban polling stations and 2,446 rural polling stations.
To enhance voter participation, 157 special polling stations have been established in the second phase including 26 polling booths managed by women as Pink Polling Stations, 26 polling stations manned by specially-abled persons, 26 polling stations manned by youths, 31 Border polling stations, 26 green polling stations and 22 Unique Polling stations.
Most polling stations in the six districts of the Union Territory including Poonch, Rajouri and Reasi in Jammu division and Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal in the Valley wore a festive look.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all voters to exercise their franchise to play an important role in strengthening democracy.
In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi wrote, “Today is the second phase of voting for the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. I appeal to all voters to cast their votes and play their important role in strengthening democracy. On this occasion, I congratulate all the young friends who are going to vote for the first time!”
Senior politicians including former J&K Chief Minister and Vice President of NC Omar Abdullah, J&K Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra, J&K BJP President Ravinder Raina, former ministers Ali Mohammad Sagar, Asiya Naqash, Abdur Rahim Rather, Hakim Mohammad Yasin, Choudhary Zulfiqar and J&K Apni Party chief Syed Altaf Bukhari are in the electoral fray in the second phase.
NC and the Congress have formed a pre-poll alliance to contest the elections. NC has fielded candidates for 52 seats while Congress is contesting 31 seats. Two seats, one for the CPI-M in the Valley and the other for the Panthers Party in Jammu division have been left uncontested by the NC-Congress alliance.
On five seats of Sopore in Valley and Banihal, Nagrota, Kishtwar and Doda in Jammu division, the two parties could not reach a consensus and both have fielded candidates in these constituencies to engage in a friendly contest.
Voting for the third and last phase of J&K Legislative Assembly polls will be held on October 1 and counting will take place on October 8.
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