Jammu and Kashmir Polls 2024: The stage is set for the first phase of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir with political parties now shifting their focus on the second phase to be held on September 25. A total of 24 seats spread across seven districts will go to the polls in the first phase. Seven districts in Jammu and Kashmir, situated on both sides of the Pir Panjal mountain range, will vote in an assembly election for the first time in 10 years. This will be the first assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. The voting will commence at 7am and will conclude at 6pm.


Number Of Candidates, Voters


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There are a total of 219 candidates including 90 independents who are running for 24 assembly segments. There are a total of 23 lakh voters eligible to cast their franchise. Of the 24 seats going to the polls, eight lie in three districts of the Jammu region and 16 in four districts of Kashmir valley.


According to the Election Commission (EC), a total of 23,27,580 electors are eligible to vote in phase 1, including 11,76,462 male, 11,51,058 female, and 60 third-gender voters. Among them are 1.23 lakh young voters aged 18 to 19, 28,309 Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), and 15,774 elderly voters over the age of 85.


Polling Booths, Staffs


As per the Election Commission of India, a total of 14,000 polling staff will conduct the voting at 3,276 polling stations. Of these 3,276 polling booths, 302 are urban polling stations and 2,974 rural polling stations. Four election staff, including the Presiding Officer, will be stationed in each polling station, said the EC. 


Multi-Tier Security


The Jammu and Kashmir police have implemented extensive security measures for the assembly elections, including a multi-tier deployment of forces from the Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPF), the Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police, and the J&K Police.


Key Candidates, Constituencies


PDP's Iltija Mufti, contesting from Bijbehara, faces a triangular battle against NC's Bashir Ahmad Veeri and BJP's Sofi Mohammad Yousuf. Meanwhile, CPI(M)'s Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami is seeking a fifth consecutive term from the Kulgam segment. AICC General Secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir aims for a third term from Dooru, while National Conference's Sakina Itoo is vying for re-election from Damhal Hajipora. PDP's Sartaj Madni (Devsar) and Abdul Rehman Veeri (Shangus-Anantnag) are also prominent candidates to watch. However, the spotlight is on the Srigufwara-Bijbehara and Pulwama assembly segments, where PDP's Iltija Mufti and Waheed Para are contesting, respectively.


Waheed Para, an accused in a terror case, faces a tough contest from his former party colleague Mohammad Khalil Bandh, who is now running on a National Conference (NC) ticket. The race has become more intense with the entry of Talat Majid Alie, a former member of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami. Similarly, CPI(M)'s Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami is up against a rival candidate, Sayar Ahmad Reshi, adding further complexity to the competition. Other prominent candidates and their seats are:


Former ministers Sajjad Kitchloo (NC) -Kishtwar Seat
Khalid Najid Suharwardy (NC) - Doda
Vikar Rasool Wani (Congress) - Banihal
Abdul Majid Wani (DPAP) - Doda
Sunil Sharma (BJP) - Padder-Nagseni
Shakti Raj Parihar - Doda west 
Former MLA Ghulam Mohammad Saroori- Independent 
Former MLA Daleep Singh Parihar (BJP) -Bhadarwah
Former MLC Firdous Tak (PDP) - Kishtwar
Imtiyaz Shan (PDP)- Banihal
Pooja Thakur (NC) - Padder-Nagseni
Shagun Parihar (BJP) 
Rebel NC leader Pyare Lal Sharma - Independent from Inderwal 
BJP rebel Rakesh Goswami as Independent from Ramban 
BJP rebel Suraj Singh Parihar as Independent from Padder-Nagseni 


Seats Going To Polls


The constituencies going to the polls 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. (With agency inputs)