Voters in Jammu and Kashmir are heading to the polls for the first assembly election since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. On Wednesday, the first phase of the three-phase election will take place, with over 23 lakh voters determining the fate of 219 candidates, including 90 independents, contesting for 24 seats. The constituencies include eight from Jammu and 16 from the Kashmir Valley.
Key details about the election:
•This is the first assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir since the state was reorganized into two union territories following the abrogation of Article 370.
•More than 23 lakh voters, including 1.23 lakh youth, 28,309 persons with disabilities, and 15,774 elderly voters, will participate in the first phase.
•Multi-tier security has been deployed, including the Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPF) and local police, to ensure a peaceful election.
•There are 3,276 polling stations, with 302 located in urban areas and 2,974 in rural regions.
•Key candidates include Iltija Mufti (PDP), Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami (CPI-M), and Ghulam Ahmad Mir (Congress).
Special Arrangements for Kashmiri Pandits Over 35,000 Kashmiri Pandits are voting in this election, and special measures have been taken to ease paperwork for displaced voters.
This election marks a significant moment in Jammu and Kashmir’s political landscape, with the region having been without an elected government since June 2018.
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