The first phase of Jammu & Kashmir Assembly elections commenced today, marking the first polls in the region in over a decade. Voters across 24 constituencies in seven districts began casting their ballots under stringent security arrangements. The voter turnout by 9:00 AM stood at 11.11%, with Kishtwar district recording the highest at 14.38%, while Pulwama registered the lowest at 9.18%.
This is the first Assembly election since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, which transformed the state into two Union Territories.
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah urged voters to stay cautious of independent candidates, warning of attempts to divide votes, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi encouraged citizens, especially first-time voters, to participate in strengthening the democratic process.
More than 23 lakh eligible voters will decide the fate of 219 candidates, including 90 independents. A total of 14,000 polling staff are deployed across 3,276 polling stations to ensure smooth voting.
The second and third phases are scheduled for September 25 and October 1, with vote counting to take place on October 8.
