Polls largely peaceful in Jammu And Kashmir Omar Abdullah warns against division of votes
![]() |
Polls largely peaceful in J&K, Omar Abdullah warns against division of votes |
Jammu : The 24 assembly seats voting in phase 1 of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir have recorded 26.72 per cent voter turnout in the first four hours of polling, the Election Commission of India said. Inderwal seat in Jammu recorded the highest voter turnout so far at 40.36 per cent voting followed by Dada West seat, again on Jammu, with 35 per cent voter turnout, according to the poll panel.
Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing first assembly election in ten years with first phase being held across 24 seats in six districts of the Union Territory (UT) today, September 18. The last assembly poll was held in the erstwhile state in 2018.
This election also marks the beginning of three-phase assembly polls – the first such exercise in the erstwhile state since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. The 24 constituencies voting today are spread across Pir Panjal - 16 in Kashmir and eight in Jammu region.
Voting began at 7 am and will continue until 6 pm, the Election Commission of India said.
In 2014 assembly elections, Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP had won 11 seats of the 24 seats voting today. The BJP and Congress four each while the Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference and CPI(M) had one one seat each.
As many as 219 candidates are competing in the first phase. Overall, 23,27,580 electors are eligible to vote, according to the poll panel. Overall 14,000 polling staff are overseeing the process at 3,276 polling stations in the first phase.
Time to strengthen democracy: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all those in constituencies going to the polls in the first phase in Jammu and Kashmir today to vote in large numbers and strengthen the festival of democracy.
“I particularly call upon young and first-time voters to exercise their franchise," Modi said in a post on X.
Important Constituencies
The constituencies that are voting today include Tral, Pulwama, Rajpora, Zainapora, Shopian, DH Pora, Kulgam, Devsar, Dooru, Kokernag (ST), Anantnag West, Anantnag, Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Shangus-Anantnag East, Pahalgam – all in South Kashmir, once a militancy hot bed.
In Jammu region, Inderwal, Kishtwar, Padder-Nagseni, Bhadarwah, Doda, Doda West, Ramban, and Banihal seats are voting today.
Congress-NC alliance
The Congress and the NC are fighting the elections in alliance. The PDP, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), People’s Conference, to name a few, are other parties in the fray.
The PDP-BJP government formed after 2014 assembly elections could not last the full 6-year term as BJP withdrew its support to former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2018.
Since then, the erstwhile state has been under central rule.
Key Candidates
Prominent candidates from Kashmir whose fate will be sealed in EVMs today include CPI-M's Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, who is seeking a fifth consecutive term from Kulgam seat.
PDP's Iltija Mufti, daughter of party chief Mehbooba Mufti, is contesting from family bastion Srigufwara-Bijbehara seat. Waheed-Ur-Rehman Para of the PDP is the candidate from Pulwama assembly seat. Para lost Lok Sabha Elections 2024 from Srinagar parliamentary seat.
Assembly polls are being held in Jammu and Kashmir in three phases. The two more phases will be held on September 25 and October 1. The votes will be counted on October 8.
18 Sep 2024, 12:46:47 PM IST
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: 'Congress or National Conference or PDP used to win when…'
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: BJP candidate from Padder-Nagseni Assembly Constituency, Sunil Sharma said, "I want to congratulate the voters, the way people are coming out of their homes and exercising their franchise, all this shows that people have a lot of faith in democracy and the way people are voting in large numbers is good news for the Bharatiya Janata Party. You must have seen that whenever the percentage was low here, Congress or National Conference or PDP used to win. Because they got protection from terrorists…Today people are participating in the elections with an open heart and the elections are directly a support and dedication towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi..."
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: Hopeful that the voters will elect me, says NC candidate from Damhal Hanjipora
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: Jammu & Kashmir National Conference candidate from Damhal Hanjipora Assembly constituency, Sakina Itoo said, "...We are getting very good response and the public is coming out to cast their vote in large numbers...I am hopeful that the voters will elect me..."
18 Sep 2024, 12:01:55 PM IST
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: ‘These 10 years gave us the time to think’
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: Independent candidate from Pulwama Assembly constituency backed by Jamaat-e-Islami, Talat Majid, said, “In a positive way, these 10 years gave us the time to think and decide whom we want to vote considering the situation."
18 Sep 2024, 11:38:22 AM IST
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: 26.72 per cent voter turnout till 11 am, says ECI
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: All 24 seats recorded 26.72 per cent voter turnout in the first four hours of polling, the Election Commission of India said. Inderwal seat in Jammu recorded the highest voter turnout so far at 40.36 per cent voting followed by Dada West seat, again on Jammu, with 35 per cent voter turnout, according to the poll panel.
18 Sep 2024, 11:32:40 AM IST
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: Watch - Voting underway in Banihal-Gool seat
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: Voting underway for the 1st phase of Assembly elections underway at a polling station in Banihal-Gool Assembly Constituency. Voting is underway in 24 seats in first phase of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
18 Sep 2024, 11:27:53 AM IST
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: ‘Take part in this celebration of democracy,’ Raje tells voters
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: BJP leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje ha s urged first-time voters to exwecise their franchise in elections. “Voting for the first phase has begun in Jammu & Kashmir. I urge all voters, especially the youth and first-time voters, to step forward, exercise their right, and take part in this celebration of democracy," Raje said in a post on X
New Delhi: Union Minister and BJP National President JP Nadda, the party's National General Secretary Tarun Chugh, party leader Vasundhara Raje and others arrive for �BJP National Office Bearers and State Presidents Meeting� at the party headquarters, in New Delhi, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (PTI Photo/Kamal Singh) (PTI08_17_2024_000151A) (PTI)
18 Sep 2024, 11:00:42 AM IST
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: Avoid splitting ballot, Omar to voters
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: National Conference (NC) vice president and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed hope that voters in Jammu and Kashmir would avoid ‘fragmentation’ of their votes, warning that many independent candidates in the Valley were contesting with the aim to divide the ballot. “People will have to keep it (a huge number of independent candidates contesting) in mind, because most of these candidates are in Kashmir. It seems it is an attempt to fragment votes and divide people," Omar was quoted as saying by local press.
Kashmir, India - September. 09, 2024: National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah during an interview with Hindustan Times in Srinagar.(Photo By Waseem Andrabi /Hindustan Times)-- View Full Image
Kashmir, India - September. 09, 2024: National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah during an interview with Hindustan Times in Srinagar.(Photo By Waseem Andrabi /Hindustan Times)--
18 Sep 2024, 10:57:35 AM IST
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: Exercise your democratic franchise, says L-G Sinha
J&K assembly election 2024 live updates: Jammu and Kashmir L-G Manoj Sinha called upon upon all the voters whose assembly constituencies are voting in the first phase today to turn out in record numbers and exercise their democratic rights. "I especially urge youth, women and first-time voters to vote in large numbers," Sinha wrote on X.
18 Sep 2024, 10:26:27 AM IST
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: We hope NC will win elections, says Khalid Najib Suharwardy
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: After casting his vote, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference candidate from Doda Assembly Constituency, Khalid Najib Suharwardy says, "Voting is going on smoothly. There is a good trend. We hope that the National Conference will win. I appeal to the people to come out and vote. This is not an ordinary election, it has come after 10 years. We want statehood and special status here. We will fight for that and this is a first step in that direction."
18 Sep 2024, 09:47:57 AM IST
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: 11 % turnout until 9 am; Inderwal highest at sees 16 %, says poll panel
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: The 24 seats voting in phase 1 of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir have recorded 11 per cent voter turnout until 9 am. Inderwal seat in Jammu recorded the highest voter turnout so far at 16 per cent voting followed by Kishtwar, again on Jammu, with 15 per cent voter turnout
18 Sep 2024, 09:07:00 AM IST
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: Election to reclaim the image of Pulwama, says PDP's Waheed Para
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: PDP candidate from Pulwama, Waheed Para says that the region has been stigmatised. “This is an election for us to reclaim the image of Pulwama, the youth of Pulwama, and the people of Pulwama and we are optimistic. We want people to come out in this election and vote for peace, progress, development and dignity of J&K...Voting is an act of self-preservance for all of us. People have lost so much in the last 6-7 years. So people want to change and this voting is to reclaim whatever we have lost," he told news agency ANI.
18 Sep 2024, 08:42:05 AM IST
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: In 2014, PDP won 11 of the 24 seats voting in phase 1 today
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: In 2014 assembly polls, PDP had won 11 seats of the 24 seats voting today. The BJP and Congress four each while the Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference and CPI(M) had one one seat each.
If one takes the delimitation 2022 in consideration, the PDP had won 21 assembly seats in 2014 corresponding to to the post-delimitation seats voting in the first phase today.
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 LiveView Full Image
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live (Waseem Andrabi/HT)
18 Sep 2024, 08:13:38 AM IST
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: Voters in queue to cast their votes outside in Kulgam
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: Voters were seen in queues waiting for their turn to cast their votes outside the polling station in Kulgam as polling gets underway for the first phase of Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. As many as 24 seats are voting today.
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: Voters in queue to cast their votes outside in KulgamView Full Image
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: Voters in queue to cast their votes outside in Kulgam (Waseem Andrabi/HT)
18 Sep 2024, 08:05:11 AM IST
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: ' I congratulate PM Modi, says BJP candidate Saleem Bhat
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: After casting his vote, BJP's candidate from Banihal-Gool assembly seat, Mohd Saleem Bhat spoke with news agency ANI, “I am happy. I congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Election Commission for conducting the elections here. People here want change and want," he said.
18 Sep 2024, 07:36:29 AM IST
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: Iltija Mufti's fate to be sealed today
Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live: PDP's Iltija Mufti, daughter of party chief Mehbooba Mufti, is one of the 2019 contesting elections today. Mufti is making her electoral debut from family bastion Srigufwara-Bijbehara seat.
No comments:
Post a Comment