The first phase of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir is set to take place on Wednesday, September 18. This marks the first Assembly elections in the region since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.
In this initial phase, voting will cover 24 constituencies—16 in Kashmir and 8 in Jammu. According to the Election Commission, 219 candidates are contesting in this phase.
A total of 23,27,580 electors are eligible to vote, including 11,76,462 males, 11,51,058 females, and 60 third-gender individuals. Notably, 1.23 lakh youths aged 18 to 19 years, 28,309 persons with disabilities (PwDs), and 15,774 elderly voters above the age of 85 are among the eligible voters for this phase, as per an EC official.
To ensure a smooth electoral process, 14,000 polling staff will be deployed across 3,276 polling stations, including 302 urban and 2,974 rural stations. Each polling station will have a team of four election officials, including the Presiding Officer.
Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Zone, V.K. Birdi, has assured that comprehensive security arrangements are in place to facilitate a high voter turnout.
Key Candidates and Constituencies
Several prominent candidates are vying for seats in this phase.
Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami of the CPI (M) is seeking a fifth consecutive term from the Kulgam constituency. Ghulam Ahmad Mir of the AICC is aiming for a third term from Dooru.
Sakina Itoo of the National Conference is contesting for another term from Damhal Hajipora. Sartaj Madni (PDP) from Devsar and Abdul Rehman Veeri (PDP) from Shangus-Anantnag are also key contenders.
In Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Iltija Mufti of the PDP, daughter of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, is in a triangular contest with Bashir Ahmad Veeri of the National Conference and Sofi Mohammad Yousuf of the BJP. This constituency is part of the Rajouri-Anantnag Lok Sabha seat.
Waheed Para, PDP youth wing leader, who is also an accused in terror case, is contesting from the Pulwama assembly segment. He faces a stiff challenge from his former party colleague Mohammad Khalil Bandh, who is now contesting on an NC ticket. The contest is further complicated by the entry of former Jamaat-e-Islami member Talat Majid Alie.
In Jammu, where BJP and Congress dominate the political landscape, trying their luck are former ministers Sajjad Kitchloo (NC), Khalid Najid Suharwardy (NC) Vikar Rasool Wani (Congress), Abdul Majid Wani (DPAP), Sunil Sharma (BJP), Shakti Raj Parihar (Doda west) and Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, a three-time MLA who is fighting as an independent after he was denied ticket by DPAP which he had joined after quitting Congress in support of Ghulam Nabi Azad two years ago.
Former MLA Daleep Singh Parihar (BJP), former MLC Firdous Tak and Imtiyaz Shan (PDP), NC's Pooja Thakur who is sitting chairperson of district development council Kishtwar, BJP's young face Shagun Parihar, whose father Ajit Parihar and uncle Anil Parihar were killed by terrorists in November 2018, and Mehraj din Malik of AAP are among other prominent faces in the fray.
While NC and the Congress are in alliance, both parties have fielded candidates in Banihal, Bhaderwah, and Doda for a 'friendly contest'.
A rebel NC leader Pyare Lal Sharma is fighting as an independent from Inderwal and two BJP rebels, Rakesh Goswami and Suraj Singh Parihar, are also trying their luck from the Ramban and Padder-Nagseni constituencies.
Constituencies Voting on September 18
The constituencies going to the polls in the first phase are Pampore, Tral, Pulwama, Rajpora, Zainapora, Shopian, DH Pora, Kulgam, Devsar, Dooru, Kokernag (ST), Anantnag West, Anantnag, Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Shangus-Anantnag East, Pahalgam, Inderwal, Kishtwar, Padder-Nagseni, Bhadarwah, Doda, Doda West, Ramban, and Banihal.
(With inputs from PTI)
