Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections phase 1: A voter turnout of 58.19% was recorded by 5 pm in the first phase of assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir held on Wednesday. According to Election Commission data, Kishtwar saw the highest turnout at 77.23%, followed by Doda at 69.33%, Ramban at 67.71%, Kulgam at 59.62%, Shopian at 53.64%, and Anantnag at 54.17%. Pulwama had the lowest turnout at 43.87%.
This election cycle is notable as it marks the first Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir in nearly a decade, with the last elections held in 2014. It is also significant as it is the first electoral exercise since the abrogation of Article 370.
The first phase of voting covered 24 constituencies: 16 in southern Kashmir and eight in the Jammu division. The constituencies where voting took place include Pampore, Tral, Pulwama, Rajpora, Zainapora, Shopian, D.H. 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.
Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections phase 1 Highlights: Voting began in J&K amid elaborate security arrangements. Follow Financial Express for all the latest election-related updates.
National Conference Vice-President Omar Abdullah urged voters to make wise choices following Engineer Rashid’s remark about keeping his doors open to any party, including the BJP, for government formation.
Engineer Rashid, leader of the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), indicated his willingness to consider an alliance with the BJP if required. “We will see that time what the situation is," he stated in an interview, as reported by PTI.
In response, Omar Abdullah challenged Rashid to clarify his position, noting, “He has openly said his doors are open for the BJP if it needs MLAs after October 8."
The Kishtwar district recorded the highest voter turnout at 77.24% till 5 pm in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, according to data provided by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday.
Doda followed with a voter turnout of 69.33%, while Ramban recorded 67.71%, Kulgam 59.62%, Shopian 53.64%, and Anantnag 54.17%.
Pulwama registered the lowest turnout at 43.87% in the first phase of the assembly polls.
Congress leader Ghulam Ahmed Mir said that the People have decided to peacefully cast their votes because there was no democracy here.
"It is important that people choose their representatives. Even though it will be a toothless government in UT..." he added.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh stated that people voted in large numbers and the excitement among them was palpable. He described the election as a festival of democracy in its truest sense and noted that the people of Jammu and Kashmir were experiencing it for the first time.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot expressed strong confidence in the INDIA bloc’s chances of forming the government in Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking on the elections in the border area of Poonch, Pilot highlighted the Congress party’s historical strength in the region and the presence of alliance candidates as key factors in their favour.
Pilot slammed the BJP for fielding numerous proxy candidates to divide the votes, but asserted that local voters are well-aware of these tactics. With elections having been absent in the region for a decade, he noted the significant voter turnout and suggested that despite any efforts by other parties, the electorate is dissatisfied with the current situation.
PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti has arrived at a polling station in Bijbehara to cast her vote in the Jammu and Kashmir elections 2024.
VIDEO | Jammu and Kashmir elections 2024: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) arrives at a polling station in Bijbehara to cast her vote.#jammukashmirelections2024
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 18, 2024
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/HPIzUgUtEX
On J&K assembly polls being held after the abrogation of Article 370, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said, "After the abrogation of Article 370, assembly elections are being held for the first phase in J&K. People are coming out to vote in large numbers. This is historic. The public wants development and peace. After the abrogation of Article 370, development has taken place in J&K, terrorism has decreased, tourism has increased..."
Jammu and Kashmir elections 2024: "People here were hopeless because elections were not been held in the last 10 years, and corruption and red tapism have also increased. However, issues of people will soon be raised in the Assembly and they will be resolved," says PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti's daughter Iltija Mufti, party candidate from Bijbehara Assembly constituency.
Amid voting for the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, the overall voter turnout stood at 41.17 per cent at 1 pm on Wednesday, according to the Election Commission of India data. Here’s the constituency-wise voter turnout:
1. Anantnag – 27.40%
2. Anantnag (West) – 32.07%
3. Banihal – 49%
4. Bhadarwah – 48.37%
5. DH Pora – 43.66%
6. Devsar – 36.78%
7. Doda – 50.34%
8. Doda (West) – 54.80%
9. Dooru -41.30%
10. Inderwal – 60.01%
11. Kishtwar – 54.36%
12. Kokernag (ST) – 41%
13. Kulgam – 39.75%
14. Padder-Nagseni – 56.48%
15. Pahalgam – 47.68%
16. Pampore -28.88%
17. Pulwama – 32.55%
18. Rajpora – 31.04%
19. Ramban – 50.56%
20. Shangus – Anantnag (East) – 36.73%
21. Shopian – 40.45%
22. Srigufwara-Bijbehara -39.20%
23. Tral -26.75%
24. Zainapora -37.11%
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer P K Pole on Wednesday said polling is proceeding peacefully in the first phase of the assembly elections and is incident-free.
"Polling is being conducted on a large scale. The way polling is progressing indicates a high turnout. We anticipate over 60 per cent polling. So far, the polling has been peaceful and incident-free," Pole told PTI.
Jammu and Kashmir Elections 2024: NC-Congress alliance candidate from Tral seat Surinder Singh Channi said, “It’s a busy season. People are taking out time and coming to vote. I expect a good polling (percentage) from this area."
“The long wait of the people has ended today. I am happy that they will be able to elect the government,” BJP candidate from Padder-Nagseni Assembly constituency Sunil Sharma said on Wednesday amid voting for the first phase of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections.
An election control room has been set up by the Kulgam District Administration to monitor the election process, ANI reported. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kulgam, Athar Aamir said, “Elections are happening very smoothly everywhere, voting is happening at our 372 polling stations. Mock poll was completed at 7 AM at all polling stations. There are long queues at several polling stations.”
Amid voting for the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, the overall voter turnout stood at 26.72 per cent at 11 am on Wednesday. Here’s the constituency-wise voter turnout:
1. Anantnag – 16.90%
2. Anantnag (West) – 21.26%
3. Banihal – 30%
4. Bhadarwah – 30.38%
5. DH Pora – 27.74%
6. Devsar – 24.32%
7. Doda – 31.96%
8. Doda (West) – 35.08%
9. Dooru -26.97%
10. Inderwal – 40.36%
11. Kishtwar – 26.38%
12. Kokernag (ST) – 29%
13. Kulgam – 26%
14. Padder-Nagseni - 32.15%
15. Pahalgam – 31.62%
16. Pampore -19.60%
17. Pulwama – 23.09%
18. Rajpora – 21.17%
19. Ramban – 32.85%
20. Shangus – Anantnag (East) – 25.09%
21. Shopian – 27%
22. Srigufwara-Bijbehara -27.60%
23. Tral -17.50%
24. Zainapora -25%
“People are coming to cast their vote. I also have cast my vote. It’s a victory of democracy,” says Independent candidate from Kulgam Assembly constituency Sayar Ahmad Reshi after casting his vote.
"Voting has started at polling stations. We are getting to see a lot of enthusiasm from the people. I hope that this time we will be able to record the voter turnout well. A very good polling exercise is going on in a free and fair manner…Those who are sitting at home, they should come out of their houses and exercise their voting rights,” Doda District Election Officer Harvinder Singh told ANI.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge urged the voters of Jammu and Kashmir to come out and exercise their right of voting in large numbers. "The people of Jammu and Kashmir are eager to safeguard their rights and embark on a new era of true development and full statehood. As the first phase of voting in 24 Assembly constituencies commences, we urge everyone to exercise their democratic right and vote in large numbers," Kharge said in a post on X.
"We appeal to all, especially first-time voters, to participate in this crucial election and be the catalysts for change," he added.
“The message is to come out and vote, and democratically participate in this festival. Elections are happening after 10 years. For us, voting is an act of self-preservation,” said JKPDP candidate from Pulwama Assembly constituency Waheed Ur Rehman Para.
"We are hoping that people will vote for candidates of our alliance between National Conference and Congress and the one candidate of CPM. Voters will decide. We took our agenda of next five years for Jammu and Kashmir to the people. Let's see what happens. These elections are very important as they are being held after 10 years. Several things changed in these 10 years. Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two. Ladakh was separated from us. We were given status of UT (Union Territory) though we don't know how it benefitted us. We have not forgotten what happened with Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019." says JKNC leader Omar Abdullah.
Amid voting for the first phase of J&K elections, Kashmiri Pandits on Wednesday cast their votes at a migrant camp in Jagti, South Kashmir.
VIDEO | Jammu and Kashmir Elections 2024: Kashmiri Pandits cast their vote at a migrant camp in Jagti, South Kashmir.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 18, 2024
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/QeJvnyVjf2
After casting his vote, Talat Majid, an Independent candidate from Pulwama Assembly constituency backed by Jamaat-e-Islami, says, "I have cast my vote today... We want to resolve all our issues in a democratic way. Whatever has been taken away from us, the only way to get it back is through democratic ways. I appeal to the people to participate in the democratic process..."
Amid voting for the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, the overall voter turnout stood at 11.11 per cent at 9 am on Wednesday. Here's the constituency-wise voter turnout:
1. Anantnag - 6 %
2. Anantnag (West) - 8.55 %
3. Banihal - 11 %
4. Bhaderwah - 12.52 %
5. DH Pora - 11.10 %
6. Devsar - 10.25 5
7. Doda - 12.80 %
8. Doda (West) - 13.56 %
9. Dooru -10.42 %
10. Inderwal - 16.01 %
11. Kishtwar - 15.02 %
12. Kokernag (ST) - 12 %
13. Kulgam - 10.98 %
14. Padder-Nagseni -12.62%
15. Pahalgam - 12.56%
16. Pampore -8.81 %
17. Pulwama - 10.50 %
18. Rajpora - 9.97 %
19. Ramban - 13.08 %
20. Shangus - Anantnag (East) - 10.28 %
21. Shopian - 13%
22. Srigufwara-Bijbehara -11.60 %
23. Tral -7.33 %
24. Zainapora -10 %
The youngest candidate in the fray in phase 1 elections is Meenakshi Bhagat, 25, who is contesting on the Bhadarwah seat for BSP.
The oldest candidates are PDP's Mehboob Beg, 75, contesting in Anantnag and Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, 75, contesting in Kulgam for CPI(M).
Iltija Mufti, daughter of PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti, will contest her first Assembly election from the Srigufwara-Bijbehara constituency in South Kashmir, after her mother, the former chief minister, refused to enter the political fray this time.
Waheed ur Rehman Para, 36, a PDP youth leader, is contesting his first election from the Pulwama constituency. He is in a face-off with former party veteran Mohammad Khalil Band, who switched to the National Conference.
In the Kulgam Assembly constituency, CPM's Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami, who has held the seat since 1996, is facing a tough challenge from a candidate backed by the Jamaat.
AICC General Secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir in Dooru and National Conference's Sakina Itoo from Damhal Hajipora are some other key candidates.
Major players in the fray are the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and National Conference, who are contesting in an alliance, Mehbooba Mufti's Peoples Democratic Party and other parties including Ghulam Nabi Azad's Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), Altaf Bukhari's Apni Party and Abdul Ghani Lone's People's Conference.
These elections have also seen the entry of banned Jamaat-e-Islami who is in an alliance with the Awami Ittehad Party of Engineer Rashid.
Restoration of statehood in J&K, which has been a key demand ever since it was divided into two Union Territories, has been promised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as well as the Congress and the National Conference, which are contesting in alliance, if brought to power.
As the voting began in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, BJP candidate from Kishtwar Shagun Parihar offered prayers at her residence ahead of casting her vote.
Shagun Parihar's father Ajit Parihar and uncle Anil Parihar were shot dead by terrorists in November, 2018. (PTI)
Amid voting for the first phase of the J&K Assembly elections, the JKNC candidate from the Padder-Nagseni Assembly constituency, Pooja Thakur, told PTI, "“People of Jammu and Kashmir had to wait for long for Assembly elections. We are thankful to the Supreme Court of India and the Election Commission of India. People will now get the opportunity to vote for the government they want to come into power.”
VIDEO | Jammu and Kashmir Elections 2024: “People of Jammu and Kashmir had to wait for long for Assembly elections. We are thankful to the Supreme Court of India and the Election Commission of India. People will now get the opportunity to vote for the government they want to come… pic.twitter.com/3MTN2pYfxU
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 18, 2024
As many as 219 candidates, including 90 Independents, are in the fray in this phase. The Congress and National Conference (NC) have formed an alliance while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), People's Conference and others are contesting solo.