Srinagar: The stage is set for the first major democratic exercise in a decade in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, with 24 of its total 90 constituencies going to the hustings in round one of the three-phase Assembly elections.
Altogether 23.27 lakh voters are eligible to press the EVM button on the morrow, determining the fate of 219 candidates spread across seven districts.
This is the first time assembly election is being held in the picturesque J& K since the revocation of Article 370 and the conversion of the state into a Union Territory in August 2019.
A large turnout is expected, as many voters seem to have decided against poll boycott – a trend seen in previous elections in Kashmir.
In the lead-up to the election, Kashmir saw unprecedented campaigning, with candidates and political parties engaging with the public without fear, a first since the eruption of violence in the region.
“Boycotting elections has politically disempowered us, but now I will vote on Wednesday to ensure we have our own government in J&K,” said Nissar Ahmed, 45, a resident of Tral in Pulwama district, a former separatist stronghold. “The government may be weak after the election, but we need to start somewhere.”
The last assembly election in J&K was held in 2014, resulting in the formation of a coalition government between the BJP and PDP, which collapsed in 2018 when the BJP withdrew its support.
In the first phase, polling will take place in eight constituencies in the Jammu division and 16 in South Kashmir.
Prominent candidates in the first phase include senior Congress working committee member Ghulam Ahmed Mir, PDP’s Iltija Mufti (daughter of party chief Mehbooba Mufti), CPI(M) leader Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami, PDP youth leader Waheed Para, former MP and National Conference leader Hasnain Masoodi, senior NC leader Sakeena Itoo, BJP leader Sofi Youusf, former Jamaat-e-Islami member Talat Majeed, independent candidate G M Saroori, BJP’s Sushri Parihar and NC’s Sajad Kichloo among others.
In Kashmir, while there are a large number of independent candidates, the main contest remains between archrivals NC and PDP. In Jammu, the battle is primarily between the BJP and Congress.
The election panel says that elaborate arrangements have been made for the polls. They are also focusing on encouraging voter participation, particularly among young and first-time voters.
Officials said a multi-tier security grid has been put in place to ensure smooth and peaceful elections. Polling will begin at 7 a.m. and conclude at 6 p.m.
The second and third phase of polling will take place on September 25 and October 1 respectively. The votes will be counted on October 8.
