With peaceful polling for third and final phase of Jammu &Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections continuing at a brisk pace, all polling stations of 40 Assembly Constituencies across seven districts recorded an impressive 56.01 percent voter turnout till 3 pm on Tuesday, said Chief Electoral Officer, J&K.
District-wise voting data released by the election office showed that till 3 pm, the highest turnout of 64.43 percent was recorded in Udhampur. The lowest turnout of 46.09 percent was recorded in Baramulla district.
Voting turnout in Bandipore district till 3 pm was 53.09 percent, Jammu 56.74 percent, Kathua 62.43 percent, Kupwara 52.98 percent and Samba 63.24 percent.
J&K is voting for the first time in an assembly election in a decade. These are the first assembly polls held in the erstwhile state after the Narendra Modi government revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 in August 2019 and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories.
The results of the 90-seat assembly polls will be declared on October 8.
In a social media post on X on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi encouraged voters and said, “Today is the third and last round of voting in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. I request all voters to come forward and cast their votes to make the festival of democracy a success.”
According to the latest electoral rolls, 39,18,220 voters are eligible to cast their ballots in this phase, comprising 20,09,033 male voters, 19,09,130 female voters, and 57 third-gender voters. The electors will decide the fate of 415 candidates.
Till 1 pm in Jammu region, an impressive over 50 percent voting was recorded in Bani, Jasrota, Billawar, Ramgarh, Marh, Akhnoor, Udhampur west, Udhampur East, Ramnagar, Ramgarh, Chenani and Chhamb assembly constituencies during the first six hours of voting. The lowest 35.54 percent was recorded at Jammu West, 36.88 percent in Jammu East and Jammu north 37. 93 percent till 1 pm.
In Kashmir valley, 52.38 percent voting was recorded in Gurez, 47.1 percent in Handwara, 45.35 percent in Karnah, 43.3 percent in Sonawari, 38.64 percent in Pattan, 41.28 percent in Trehgam, 41.27 percent in Lolab, 41.49 percent Uri, 40.99 percent in Gulmarg, while the lowest 27.76 percent voting was registered in Sopore assembly segment till 1 pm.
In the first phase of polls, about 61 per cent of the electorate in Jammu and Kashmir turned out to vote. In the second phase held last week, total voter turnout was 57.3 per cent.
In Bandipora district, over 516 voters of Village Kanyari in Sonawari constituency on Tuesday allegedly boycotted the election in protest against the government not providing land to construct their homes, reports said.
About 100-year-old Mala Begum cast her vote at the Pink Polling Station at Chattibandi in Bandipora and another elderly woman identified as Khatija, carried on shoulders by her son, cast her vote in Uri assembly segment.
The 40 assembly constituencies in the last phase of voting include 16 in three districts of the Kashmir Valley (Kupwara, Baramulla, and Bandipora) and 24 in the four districts of Jammu division (Jammu, Udhampur, Kathua, and Samba).
While the Baramulla assembly segment of North Kashmir leads with the highest 25 candidates in the poll fray, the Akhnoor Assembly constituency of Jammu district will witness a triangular contest during this phase.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has established a total of 5060 polling stations with webcasting across 40 assembly seats.
The 16 seats in Kashmir include Karnah, Trehgam, Kupwara,Lolab, Handwara, Langate, Sopore, Rafiabad, Uri, Baramulla, Gulmarg, Wagoora -Kreeri, Pattan, Sonawari, Bandipora and Gurez (ST).
The 24 seats of Jammu division where voting is on include Udhampur West, Udhampur East, Chenani, Ramnagar(SC), Bani, Billawar, Basohli, Jasrota, Kathua, Hiranagar, Ramgarh(SC), Samba, Vijaypur, Bishnah(SC), Suchetgarh(SC), R.S.Pura?Jammu South, Bahu, Jammu East, Nagrota, Jammu West, Jammu North, Marh(SC), Akhnoor (SC) and Chhamb.
