Jammu: Voting began on Wednesday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Chenab Valley, where over 7.14 lakh eligible voters are set to decide the fate of 64 candidates in the first phase of the assembly elections. This election marks the first such process since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, which led to the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories—Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir. The last assembly election in the region was held in 2014.

Polling Details

Polling stations opened at 7 am across 1,328 locations in the Chenab Valley districts of Doda, Kishtwar, and Ramban. The election comes amid heightened security due to recent terror activities in the region, which have resulted in the deaths of six army personnel and four terrorists.

In addition to Chenab Valley, the first phase also covers four districts in south Kashmir: Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, and Shopian, encompassing a total of 16 assembly constituencies.

To facilitate voting for over 35,000 Kashmiri Pandits, 24 polling stations have been set up outside the region, including locations in Jammu, Udhampur, and Delhi. These voters are registered in 16 constituencies of south Kashmir.

 Special Polling Arrangements

The election officials have set up various types of polling stations, including those managed by women, specially-abled persons, and youth. Green polling stations have been established to promote environmental awareness.

Election Phases and Candidates

The voting is scheduled to end at 6 pm today. The second phase of the assembly elections, covering 26 seats, is slated for September 25. The third and final phase, involving 40 segments, will take place on October 1, with the counting of votes scheduled for October 8.

Prominent candidates in this phase include:

  • Sajjad Kitchloo (NC)
  • Khalid Najid Suharwardy (NC)
  • Vikar Rasool Wani (Congress)
  • Abdul Majid Wani(DPAP)
  • Sunil Sharma (BJP)
  • Shakti Raj Parihar (Doda West)
  • Ghulam Mohammad Saroori (Independent)
  • Daleep Singh Parihar (BJP)
  • Firdous Tak(PDP)
  • Imtiyaz Shan(PDP)
  • Pooja Thakur (NC)
  • Shagun Parihar (BJP)
  • Mehraj din Malik(AAP)

Voter Statistics

In Doda district, there are 3,10,613 registered voters, including 1,60,057 males, 1,50,521 females, and 8 transgender persons. The district has 534 polling stations. In Kishtwar, 1,79,374 electors (91,935 male, 87,435 female, 4 transgender) will vote at 429 polling stations. Ramban district has 2,24,214 registered voters (1,16,019 male, 1,08,193 female, 1 transgender) spread across 365 polling stations.

The election process is underway with a significant focus on security and efficient voting arrangements, reflecting the importance of this assembly election for the region’s future governance.