In the third and final phase of Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, voter turnout reached 65.48% by 5 PM. This figure is expected to exceed the turnout recorded in the recent Lok Sabha elections across the same seven districts, where turnout was noted at 66.78%.
The voter participation in the first two phases of the ongoing Assembly polls has also outpaced that of the Lok Sabha elections. In Phase 1, seven districts reported a turnout of 61.38%, compared to 60% in the general elections. Similarly, in Phase 2, six districts recorded a turnout of 57.31%, surpassing the 52.17% turnout in the Lok Sabha polls.
These Assembly elections mark the first in Jammu and Kashmir in a decade and the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, which led to the division of the former state into two Union Territories. Following a delimitation process, the number of Assembly seats has increased from 83 to 90, excluding those designated for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Last December, the Supreme Court instructed the Election Commission to conduct Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30. A key factor in this election is the participation of Pakistani refugees, Valmiki Samaj, and the Gorkha community, all of whom gained voting rights following the abrogation of Article 370.
Exit polls for the Jammu and Kashmir elections are scheduled for October 5, with results to be announced on October 8.
