LIVE | J&K Assembly elections: Over 10% voter turnout recorded in first two hours
The voting began at 7 am across the 26 Assembly constituencies amidst tight security arrangements, the officials said
A security personnel stands guard as people wait to cast their votes at a polling station during the second phase of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls, at Lamberi in Nowshera, in Rajouri district, Wednesday, September 25. PTI
Voting began on Wednesday (September 25) for the second phase of the assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir in which over 2.5 million voters will decide the fate of 239 candidates in the fray for 26 seats, including that of former chief minister of the erstwhile state Omar Abdullah, officials said.
The voting began at 7 am across the 26 Assembly constituencies amidst tight security arrangements, the officials said. They said these Assembly constituencies are spread over six districts – three in the Valley and as many in the Jammu division.
Over 3,500 polling stations
The Election Commission of India (EC) has established 3,502 polling stations in these segments. There are 1,056 urban polling stations and 2,446 rural polling stations, the officials said.
Security personnel comprising police, armed police and central armed paramilitary forces have been deployed in strength around the polling stations. A multi-tier security blanket has been thrown around each polling station to ensure the voting for the second phase is held in an atmosphere free of fear, they added.
For this phase, 157 special polling stations have been established – 26 'pink polling stations' managed by women, 26 polling stations manned by specially-abled persons, 26 polling stations manned by youths, 31 border polling stations, 26 green polling stations and 22 unique polling stations, the officials said.
Voting will end at 6 pm.
During this phase, 93 candidates are in the fray in Srinagar district, followed by 46 in Budgam district, 34 in Rajouri district, 25 in Poonch district, 21 in Ganderbal district and 20 in Reasi district.
The constituencies in Srinagar district are Hazratbal, Khanyar, Habbakadal, Lal Chowk, Channapora, Zadibal, Central Shalteng and Eidgah.
The segments in Budgam district are Budgam, Beerwah, Khansahib, Chrar-I-Sharief and Chadoora, while there are two constituencies in Ganderbal district -- Kangan (ST) and Ganderbal.
The seats going to polls in Jammu division are Gulabgarh (ST), Reasi, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi (in Reasi district), Kalakote-Sunderbani, Nowshera, Rajouri (ST) (in Rajouri district), Budhal (ST), Thannamandi (ST), Surankote (ST), Poonch Haveli and Mendhar (ST) (Poonch district).
Key leaders
Key leaders whose fate will be determined in this phase include former chief minister Omar Abdullah, JKPCC president Tariq Hamid Karra and BJP J-K chief Ravinder Raina.
Abdullah is contesting from the Ganderbal and Budgam seats, while Karra is contesting from Central Shalteng. Raina will be trying to retain his Nowshera seat in Rajouri district, which he won in the 2014 Assembly polls.
Jailed religious cleric Sarjan Ahmad Wagay alias Barkati is hoping to repeat Engineer Rashid's Lok Sabha poll feat against the National Conference leader.
Barkati is contesting from the Beerwah and Ganderbal segments.
Popularly known as Rashid Engineer, Sheikh Abdul Rashid contested the parliamentary polls held earlier this year from Tihar jail and still managed to defeat Abdullah by a margin of more than two lakh votes from the Baramulla constituency.
Over 61 per cent of the electorate cast their ballots in the first phase of polling on September 18. The third phase will go to polls on October 1. The votes will be counted on October 8.
Senior diplomats from the US, Norway, Singapore and many other countries are visiting Kashmir on Wednesday to witness the ongoing Assembly elections.
The delegation comprised diplomats from Delhi-based missions of the US, Mexico, Guyana, South Korea, Somalia, Panama, Singapore, Nigeria, Spain, South Africa , Norway, Tanzania, Rwanda, Algeria and the Philippines, people familiar with the matter said.
Most of the embassies are represented by their Charge d'affaires and deputy chief of missions, they said.
Others are represented by political officers at minister-counselor and counselor ranks.
A voter turnout of 10.22 per cent was recorded in the first two hours of polling, officials said.
The Surankote (ST) seat in the Jammu region recorded the overall highest voting percentage at 14.57 per cent, followed closely by Poonch Haveli at 14.56 per cent.
The maximum voting percentage among the 15 Assembly segments in the Kashmir Valley was recorded in Kangan (ST) at 13.52. It was followed by Chrar-i-Sharief at 13 per cent and Ganderbal at 12.06 per cent. The lowest 2.63 per cent voting was recorded in the Habbakadal constituency in Srinagar, they said.
"My brothers and sisters of Jammu and Kashmir, today is the second phase of voting, come out in large numbers and vote for your rights, prosperity and prosperity - vote for INDIA.
"By snatching away your statehood, the BJP government has insulted you and played with your constitutional rights.
"Your every vote for INDIA will break this vicious circle of injustice created by the BJP and bring Jammu and Kashmir on the path of prosperity," Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said on his X handle.
Brisk polling was witnessed in the first hour and long queues of people were seen outside the polling booths, officials said.
J&K BJP President Ravinder Raina shows his inked finger after casting his vote at a polling station during the second phase of J & K Assembly polls, at Lamberi in Nowshera, in Rajouri district, Wednesday, September 25. PTI
A security personnel stands guard as people wait to cast their votes at a polling station during the second phase of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls, at Lamberi in Nowshera, in Rajouri district, Wednesday, September 25. PTI
"I appeal to all the voters going to cast their votes in the second phase of Jammu and Kashmir election to vote in maximum numbers for the creation of a terror-free and developed Jammu and Kashmir," Union Home Minister Amit Shah wrote on 'X'. "Vote today to strengthen democracy and to free Jammu and Kashmir from terrorism, nepotism and corruption."
People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said the next government in Jammu and Kashmir will be secular and that no government will be formed without the support of her party.
Mufti also responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s "three families" remark, and said that when the National Conference talked about joining Pakistan, it was Mufti Mohammad Sayeed who held and raised the Indian flag high in Kashmir.
"The government will be secular, and without the PDP, no government will be formed in Jammu and Kashmir. In the (first phase) elections held in South Kashmir, the PDP is emerging as the number one party," Mufti said at a poll rally in Jammu on Tuesday night.