North News
Srinagar, September
The voter turnout for the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections recorded 61 percent on Wednesday. Over 2.3 million voters are eligible to cast their ballots for 219 candidates, including 90 independents, in eight Assembly segments across three districts of the Jammu region and 16 constituencies in four districts of the Kashmir Valley. Polls will close at 6 p.m.
This marks the first Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, which removed the region’s special status. It is also the first such election since Jammu and Kashmir was reclassified as a Union Territory, alongside Ladakh, the news outlet NDTV reported. Polling for the remaining 66 Assembly seats will take place in the second and third phases on September 25 and October 1. The counting of votes is scheduled for October 8.
“As the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections begins, I urge all those in constituencies going to the polls today to vote in large numbers and strengthen the festival of democracy. I particularly call upon young and first-time voters to exercise their franchise, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his post on X previously known as Twitter.
