J&K Elections Voting 2024 Live: Polling is being held in seven districts of Jammu and Kashmir
Voting in the first phase of the three-phase Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir is underway 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.
It 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. The polling is scheduled to end at 6 pm.
Polling in the remaining 66 Assembly seats will be held in the other two phases on September 25 and October 1, while the counting of the votes will take place on October 8.
Here are live updates on Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections:
J&K Election Phase 1 Voting Live: 41.17 Per Cent Voter Turnout Till 1 PMA voter turnout of 41.17 per cent has been recorded till 1 PM in the first phase of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls.
According to officials, the maximum voting percentage among the 16 assembly segments in the Kashmir valley was recorded in Pahalgam at 47.68 per cent. It was followed by D H Pora at 43.66 per cent, Dooru at 41.30 per cent, and Kokernag (ST) at 41 per cent.
The lowest -- 26.75 per cent -- was recorded in Tral, they said.
Overall in Jammu and Kashmir, the Inderwal seat in the Jammu region recorded the highest poll percentage of 60.01 per cent.
J&K Election Phase 1 Voting Live: Polling Peaceful, Incident-Free So Far, Says OfficialJammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer P K Pole has said the polling is proceeding peacefully in the first phase of the Assembly elections and is incident-free.
"Polling is being conducted on a large scale. The way polling is progressing indicates a high turnout. We anticipate over 60 per cent polling. So far, the polling has been peaceful and incident-free," Mr Pole told the news agency PTI.
The official was visiting various polling stations set up for Kashmiri migrants in Jammu city's Muthi area.
J&K Elections 2024 Live: Congress Expels Its Leader For Entering Fighting As IndependentThe Congress in Jammu and Kashmir has expelled a district unit president and some other leaders from the basic membership of the party for going against the spirit of its alliance with the National Conference (NC) and contesting as Independents in the Assembly polls.
"Breach of alliance unity shall not be tolerated," a spokesperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) said.
He said the party has expelled Srinagar district president Imtiyaz Ahmad Khan and two others from the basic membership of the party.
“Come Out Of Your Homes In Largest Of Numbers Possible”: Rahul Gandhi To VotersLeader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has urged people in Jammu and Kashmir to vote for the INDIA bloc, saying every such vote will ensure the return of their rights and bring employment.
"Today, come out of your homes in the largest of numbers possible and exercise your democratic right - vote for INDIA," he posted on X in Hindi.
J&K Elections 2024 Live: 26.72% Turnout Recorded So FarThe voter turnout in the first phase of voting for Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections was recorded at 26.72 per cent as of 11 am. According to the Election Commission, Kishtwar recorded 32.69 per cent turnout followed by Doda 32.20 per cent, Ramban 31.25 per cent, Shopian 25.96 per cent, Kulgam 25.95 per cent, Anantnag 25.55 per cent and Pulwama 20.37 per cent.
"Confident Of Victory": Congress' Vikar Rasool Wani Fighting From Banihal SeatFormer president of Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee Vikar Rasool Wani, a former minister who won the Banihal constituency seat in the 2008 and 2014 elections, has expressed confidence in securing the seat for a third consecutive term.
"I contested and won in 2008 and 2014. Today, I see overwhelming support in my favour than in the past. I am confident of victory in this election as well. Compared to previous elections, my confidence is even higher. We will win this election too. Mark my words," he told reporters after voting at a polling station in Banihal.
Elections 2024 Live Updates: J&K Lieutenant Governor Urges People To Turn Out In "Record" NumbersLieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to vote in "record" numbers.
"J&K Assembly elections commence today. I call upon all the voters whose assembly constituencies are voting in the first phase today to turn out in record numbers & exercise their democratic rights. I especially urge youth, women and first-time voters to vote in large numbers," he said in a post on X.
J&K Elections 2024 Live: Omar Abdullah Urges Voters To Avoid Splitting BallotNational Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah has expressed hope that voters in Jammu and Kashmir would avoid "fragmentation of their votes", warning that many independent candidates in the Valley were contesting with the aim to divide the ballot.
"People will have to keep it (a huge number of independent candidates contesting) in mind, because most of these candidates are in Kashmir. It seems it is an attempt to fragment votes and divide people," he told the news agency PTI.
"I hope the voters will remain cautious of these and avoid fragmentation of their votes in this election," he added.
The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir also said he is hopeful that people will vote in favour of the NC-Congress alliance.
Jammu And Kashmir Assembly Elections Updates: 11.1 Per Cent Polling Till 9 AMAbout 11.1 per cent polling has been recorded till 9 AM in the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
About 10.26% polling was recorded in the Anantnag district, 12.90% in Doda district, 14.83% in Kishtwar district, 10.77% in Kulgam district, 9.18% in Pulwama district, 11.91% in Ramban district, and 11.44% in Shopian district.
J&K Assembly Polls Updates: A Look At Election Control Room Set Up In Kulgam
An election control room has been set up to monitor the election process in the Kulgam district.
J&K Asssembly Polls Live: Voters At Woman Managed Polling Station
Voters seen voting at a woman managed polling station, exclusively managed by female staff.
Jammu And Kashmir Elections Live: Congress President Urges First-Time Voters To Vote In “Crucial” PollsAs voting began for the first phase of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge urged everyone to exercise their democratic right and vote in large numbers. He said the people of the Union Territory are eager to "safeguard their rights and embark on a new era of true development and full statehood".
Every single vote holds the power to shape the future and bring about an era of peace, stability, justice, progress, and economic empowerment, the Congress president said on X.
"We appeal to all, especially first-time voters, to participate in this crucial election and be the catalysts for change," Mr Kharge said.
"Let us unite and shape a brighter future for Jammu and Kashmir, where the voices of all citizens are heard," he added.
Jammu And Kashmir Elections Live: More Visuals From Polling Booths
Jammu And Kashmir Elections Live: Voting Underway Across 24 Seats
J&K Polling Live: PM Modi Urges People To Vote In Large NumbersPrime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the people in Jammu and Kashmir to vote in large numbers and strengthen the festival of democracy.
"As the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections begins, I urge all those in constituencies going to the polls today to vote in large numbers and strengthen the festival of democracy. I particularly call upon young and first-time voters to exercise their franchise," he posted on X.
J&K Assembly Elections Live: Key Candidates In Jammu-In Jammu, trying their luck are former ministers Sajjad Kitchloo (National Conference), Khalid Najib Suharwardy (National Conference) Vikar Rasool Wani (Congress), Abdul Majid Wani (DPAP), Sunil Sharma (BJP), Shakti Raj Parihar (Doda west), and Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, a three-time MLA who is fighting as an Independent after he was denied ticket by DPAP which he had joined after quitting Congress in support of Ghulam Nabi Azad two years ago.
Former MLA Daleep Singh Parihar (BJP), former MLC Firdous Tak and Imtiyaz Shan (PDP), NC's Pooja Thakur, the sitting chairperson of district development council Kishtwar, BJP's young face Shagun Parihar, whose father Ajit Parihar and uncle Anil Parihar were killed by terrorists in November 2018, and Mehraj din Malik of AAP are among other prominent faces in the first phase of J&K Assembly polls.
J&K Assembly Elections Live: Key Candidates In KashmirKey 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.
Jammu And Kashmir Polls: Over 23 Lakh People Eligible To VoteAccording to the Election Commission (EC), a total of 23,27,580 electors are eligible to vote in phase 1 of the 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.
Live Updates: Voting Begins For First Assembly Elections In J&K In A DecadeVoting in the first phase of the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir has begun. It will continue till 6 pm.
Jammu And Kashmir Polls: J&K To Vote As Union Territory In Assembly Elections For First TimeThis 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.
Jammu And Kashmir Assembly Elections Updates: J&K To Vote In First Assembly Elections In A DecadeVoting in the first phase of the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will take place today. The 24 assembly constituencies across seven districts of the Union Territory will vote for the first time in an assembly election in 10 years.
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.