he second phase of voting in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections commenced on Wednesday, September 25, covering 26 seats across six districts. Polling is set to conclude at 6 PM today. In response to rising security concerns, particularly in constituencies like Rajouri, which has experienced a series of terror attacks in recent years, security measures have been significantly heightened.
In the second phase of elections, 25.78 lakh voters cast their votes from 7 am to 6 pm. Till 5 pm, 59.37 percent voting took place. The highest turnout was 71.81% in Reasi, while the lowest was 27.31% in Srinagar.Out of 26 seats in the second phase, 15 seats are from Central Kashmir and 11 seats are from Jammu. According to the Election Commission, 239 candidates are in the fray in the second phase. Of these, 233 are men and 6 are women.
Over 2.5 million voters will cast their ballots to determine the fate of 239 candidates, including 79 in the Pir Panjal region of Jammu. This marks the first assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir in a decade, following the abrogation of Article 370.
The first phase of voting took place on September 18, with a voter turnout of 61.13% recorded across 24 constituencies in seven districts. The third phase is scheduled for October 1, with vote counting to be conducted on October 8.
Among the prominent candidates in the second phase is Omar Abdullah from the National Conference, who is contesting from both Ganderbal and Budgam. Meanwhile, Ravinder Raina, president of the Jammu and Kashmir Bharatiya Janata Party, is running from Nowshera in Rajouri, a seat he has held for the past decade.
To facilitate the voting process, the Election Commission has set up 157 special polling stations. This includes 26 ‘pink polling stations’ managed by women, 26 operated by specially abled individuals, 31 designated for border areas, and 26 green polling stations focused on eco-friendly practices.
During a rally in Srinagar earlier this week, Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, suggesting he has lost his confidence. The BJP dismissed these remarks as “utterly baseless” and “laughable.”
The electoral landscape features alliances between the Congress and National Conference, while the BJP and PDP also play significant roles in this election cycle.
