The first phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir is being held on September 18, in which voting has already begun for 24 seats. Amid tight security, voters will go out to vote for a total of 24 assembly seats in Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts of Chenab Valley and Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian districts of South Kashmir. The first phase of elections is being held on September 18.
The second phase of elections will be held on September 25 in which voting will take place for 26 seats. After this, voting will take place for 40 seats in the third phase on October 5.
There are a total of 2.3 million voters who will exercise their franchise in this assembly election. Out of these, 5,66,000 are young voters.
Extensive security arrangements are in place
Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Zone, VK Birdi said the Jammu and Kashmir Police has made elaborate security arrangements for the election. He said the polls will be secured by a multi-layered security system and include deployment of Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPF), Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police and JK Police. 64 candidates are contesting in Anantnag district, 45 in Pulwama, 27 in Doda, 25 in Kulgam, 22 in Kishtwar, 21 in Shopian and 15 in Ramban. In Kishtwar district, nine candidates are in the fray in 48-Inderwal AC, seven in 49-Kishtwar AC and six in 50-Padar-Nagseni AC.
List of constituencies going to polls in Phase 1
Pampore
Thrall
In Pulwama
Rajpora
Jainapora
Shopian
DH Pora
Kulgam
Devsar
Assembly of cords
Kokernag(ST)
Anantnag West
Anantnag
Srigufwara-Bijbehra
Shangus-Anantnag East
Pahalgam
Inderwal
Kishtwar
Pader-Nagassen
Bhaderwah
Doda
Doda West
Ramban
Banihal
219 candidates are in the fray for 24 seats
Elections are to be held on Wednesday for 24 assembly seats in seven districts of Jammu and Kashmir, for which a total of 219 candidates are in the fray. Displaced Kashmiri Pandits will be able to exercise their franchise in 16 assembly constituencies of Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam districts of South Kashmir. Six candidates from the Kashmiri Pandit community are trying their luck in the first phase of elections. Sanjay Saraf is contesting as a Lok Janshakti Party candidate from Anantnag seat. Along with this, Veer Saraf of BJP, MK Yogi of his party and independent Dilip Pandit are in the fray in Shangas-Anantnag assembly constituency. At the same time, Rosie Raina (Republic Party of India) and Arun Raina (Nationalist Congress Party) are trying their luck from Rajpora and Pulwama seats respectively. In the first phase, about 23.27 voters will exercise their franchise, including 5.66 lakh youth.
