Seven districts in Jammu and Kashmir are set to cast their votes in the first phase of the assembly elections on Wednesday, marking the first such polls in the Union Territory (UT) since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.
The election process will unfold in three phases: the first on September 18, the second on September 25, and the third on November 1. Votes will be counted on October 8.
Constituencies In First Phase
The initial phase will cover 24 assembly segments. The constituencies voting on Wednesday 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.
In this phase, over 23 lakh voters will determine the fate of 219 candidates, including 90 independents, contesting for 24 assembly seats—eight in three districts of the Jammu region and 16 in four districts of the Kashmir valley.
Check Live Voter Turnout For J&K Phase 1 Polling
According to the Election Commission (EC), a total of 23,27,580 electors are eligible to vote in this phase, comprising 11,76,462 males, 11,51,058 females, and 60 third-gender individuals.
Additionally, more than 35,000 displaced Kashmiri Pandit from across the country are eligible to vote at 24 polling stations in the first phase.
Prominent Candidates And Key Seats
Jammu:
In Jammu, several high-profile candidates are competing. Former ministers Sajjad Kitchloo (NC), Khalid Najid Suharwardy (NC), Vikar Rasool Wani (Congress), Abdul Majid Wani (DPAP), Sunil Sharma (BJP), and Shakti Raj Parihar (Doda West) are all in the race.
Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, a three-time MLA, is running as an independent after being denied a ticket by DPAP, which he joined after leaving Congress in support of Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Other notable candidates include former MLA Daleep Singh Parihar (BJP), former MLC Firdous Tak and Imtiyaz Shan (PDP), NC’s Pooja Thakur, the current Chairperson of the District Development Council in Kishtwar, BJP’s Shagun Parihar, whose family was tragically targeted by terrorists, and Mehraj Din Malik of AAP.
Despite an alliance between the National Conference (NC) and Congress, both parties have fielded candidates in Banihal, Bhaderwah, and Doda for a ‘friendly contest.’
Additionally, rebel NC leader Pyare Lal Sharma is running as an independent from Inderwal, while BJP rebels Rakesh Goswami and Suraj Singh Parihar are contesting from Ramban and Padder-Nagseni constituencies, respectively.
Kashmir:
In Kashmir, several prominent candidates are vying for attention. CPI (M)’s Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami is seeking a fifth consecutive term from the Kulgam constituency.
AICC General Secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir aims for a third term from Dooru, while National Conference’s Sakina Itoo is campaigning for another term from Damhal Hajipora. PDP’s Sartaj Madni (Devsar) and Abdul Rehman Veeri (Shangus-Anantnag) are also key contenders.
The spotlight is particularly on the Srigufwara-Bijbehara and Pulwama assembly segments. PDP’s Iltija Mufti, a third-generation politician, is in a triangular contest from Bijbehara against NC’s Bashir Ahmad Veeri and BJP’s Sofi Mohammad Yousuf.
In Pulwama, Waheed Para, an accused in a terror case, faces a tough challenge from former party colleague Mohammad Khalil Bandh, now running on an NC ticket. The contest is further heated by the entry of former Jamaat-e-Islami member Talat Majid Alie. Tarigami is also contending with a notable candidate in Sayar Ahmad Reshi.
(With inputs from agencies)
