SRINAGAR: The total electorate in Jammu and Kashmir has risen to 88.03 lakhs after the completion of a special summary revision of photo electoral rolls.
“J&K witnessed a significant increase of over 93,000 new voters after the revision of photo electoral rolls,” J&K’s Chief Electoral Officer P K Pole said.
He said the Special Summary of Photo Electoral Rolls with a qualifying date of July 1, 2024, was successfully completed in all 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
“We have been able to include all the eligible citizens, who have turned 18 or those who have registered for the first time, as well as to identify and remove ineligible voters, besides correcting errors and discrepancies, to improve the health and accuracy of electoral rolls,” the CEO said.
As per the Special Summary Revision - 2024 completed with the publication of the final electoral roll, the total number of electors in J&K now is 88.03 lakh.
It includes 44.89 lakh male voters, 43.13 lakh female voters and 168 third-gender electors.
“A total of 93,284 voters have been added in this Special Summary Revision across J&K. The elector population ratio has improved from 0.59 to 0.60,” Pole said.
According to the Chief Electoral Officer, the number of young voters in the age group of 18 to 19 has increased by 45,964 with 24,310 of them being women. The overall number of women voters has also gone up by 51,142.
“This significant increase in the number of young electors demonstrates the commitment of young electors towards the electoral process," said the official.
The total number of young electors in J&K in the age group of 18-29 stands at 25.34 lakhs.
Pole noted that the special efforts made during the special summary revision exercise have resulted in the improvement in the gender ratio of the electors by 2 points - going up from 959 to 961, demonstrating significant progress in efforts towards intensification of electoral inclusion of women.
With the increase in number of electors, the number of polling stations across Jammu and Kashmir has also seen an uptick.
“The number of polling stations in J&K for the Assembly elections has increased from 11,629 to 11,838 and polling station locations (PSLs) from 8,930 to 9,168. This increase of 209 polling stations and 238 polling station locations has happened due to rationalisation of the polling stations and polling locations. We have ensured that there should be a distance of less than 2 kilometres to facilitate the voters,” the official said.
Jammu and Kashmir has 83,191 registered Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) voters while the number of centenarian voters (of age over 100 years) stands at 2,428.
J&K would be going to polls in three phases beginning on September 18. The second phase will take place on September 25 and the third and final phase on October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 4.
After the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile J&K state into two Union Territories, J&K’s Assembly seats increased from 83 to 90. Of the 90 seats, 47 are in Kashmir and 43 in Jammu region. Nine seats are reserved for STs and seven for SCs.
It would be the first Assembly polls in J&K post Article 370 abrogation.
Jammu and Kashmir has been under direct central rule since June 2018. The last Assembly poll in J&K was held in 2014.