LIVE | J&K Assembly elections: Over 24% voter turnout recorded till 11 am

Women voters concerned about rising electricity bill amounts

The election campaign of all the major political parties in Jammu and Kashmir revolved around the revocation and restoration of the erstwhile state's special status but women voters are more worried about the rising electricity bill amounts.

An elderly woman, waiting for her turn to vote at a polling station in the heart of Srinagar city on Wednesday told a visiting foreign diplomat that she is concerned about the erratic electricity supply and the rising bill amounts.

"The electricity supply has been destroyed and tariff meters have been installed. Now they say water consumption will also be metered," the woman in her late 60s told the US Deputy Chief of Mission in Delhi, Jorgan K Andrews.

While the woman refused to identify herself, she said she spoke her heart out hoping that the diplomat's intervention will bring some relief to poor people from the rising electricity bill amounts.

Unaware that foreign diplomats were invited here only to witness the Assembly poll process, the woman said she is hopeful that the "Angrez" will take up the matter with the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The second phase of polling for the three-phased Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election is being conducted on Wednesday.

A significant number of women voters queued up before the polling stations here. They were more concerned about basic amenities like electricity, water and foodgrains through the public distribution system.

"The monthly electricity bill has risen from Rs 1,400 last year to Rs 2,750 this year. We want to vote for a government that will roll it back," Haseena Bano, a resident of the uptown Bazullah area, said.

While the electricity tariffs have remained unchanged for several years in Jammu and Kashmir, the Power Development Corporation has revised the load agreements and that has nearly doubled the monthly bills of the consumers who are paying at a flat rate.

The concerns expressed by the voters are in sharp contrast to the campaigns run by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, National Conference (NC) and People's Democratic Party (PDP).

The star campaigners for the BJP, including Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, have maintained that there is no way Article 370 of the Constitution can be restored. They have also warned people that if the NC-Congress alliance comes to power in Jammu and Kashmir, terrorism would return to the Union Territory.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has made several populist promises during his party's poll campaign but his focus was on restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir.

The NC and the PDP have also laid stress on restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's special status as the two regional parties have said they do not want to cede space to communal forces.

In August 2019, the BJP-led Centre abrogated the provisions of Article 370, which bestowed special rights on Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcated the erstwhile state into Union territories. PTI

Congress president Kharge: 'One single vote will secure your Constitutional rights'

24.10% voter turnout recorded till 11 am

Singapore Deputy High Commissioner visits polling booth

Omar slams govt for inviting foreign delegates to observe polls

National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah Wednesday lashed out at the Centre's move to invite foreign delegates to observe the ongoing assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the polls were an internal matter of India.

"I don't know why foreigners should be asked to check elections here. When foreign governments comment, then the government of India says 'this is an internal matter for India' and now suddenly they want foreign observers to come and look at our elections," Abdullah told reporters here.

He said the assembly elections in J-K "are an internal matter for us", and "we do not need their certificate".

"Also, this participation (of people in polls) is not because of the government of India, it is inspite of everything that the government of India did. They have humiliated people, they have used all the machinery of the government to detain and harass people.

"Inspite of that, people are coming and participating in the elections. So, this is not something the government of India should be highlighting. But, anyway, that's the way they are," he said.

A delegation of 16 diplomats from New Delhi-based missions arrived here on Wednesday at the invitation of the Ministry of External Affairs to observe the ongoing polls.

Voters stand in a queue in Poonch

Voters stand in a queue to cast votes during the second phase of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, in Poonch district. Photo: X/@ECISVEEP

Diplomats in Kashmir to witness elections

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.

10.22% voter turnout in first 2 hours

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.

Rahul Gandhi: 'Your every vote for INDIA will break this vicious circle of injustice created by the BJP'

"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

Brisk polling was witnessed in the first hour and long queues of people were seen outside the polling booths, officials said.