As the third and final round of the assembly elections in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir took place on Tuesday, voters lined up outside polling places spanning 40 seats in seven districts. Official data indicated that 56.01 percent of voters had cast ballots as of 3:00 pm.
Voter turnout was 53.09% in Bandipore, 46.09% in Baramulla, 56.74% in Jammu, 62.43% in Kathua, 52.98% in Kupwara, 63.24% in Samba, and 64.43% in Udhampur.
In spite of strict security measures, polling, which started at 7 a.m. and will end at 6 p.m., is proceeding without incident. Of the 40 Assembly constituencies, 16 are located in the division of Kashmir and 24 are in the division of Jammu.
There are 415 contenders in the race, including well-known figures like former Deputy Chief Ministers Tara Chand and Muzaffar Beig.
Voting was conducted in two phases: on September 18 for the first round and on September 25 for the second. The Election Commission of India reports that 61% and 57.31% of voters participated in the first and second polling phases, respectively.
Voting will take place in the districts of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, and Udhampur, which have a Hindu majority, out of the 24 Assembly seats in the Jammu division. The BJP is hoping to repeat its victory from the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, and these districts are crucial to its goal of a clean sweep. In twenty-two of the twenty-four assembly segments held by the BJP during that election.
However, the Congress is eager to make up ground that it has lost in this area. The party has concentrated on regional problems during the campaign, including the installation of smart power meters, the levying of property taxes, and purported irregularities in recruitment examinations. These worries have struck a chord with voters, who are seeking change.
The Kashmir division will concentrate on Bandipora, Kupwara, and Baramulla, three districts in North Kashmir. Among the contenders are Sajad Lone and Engineer Rashid, two well-known individuals whose supporters will be carefully monitored. The People’s Conference leader, Sajad Lone, is running from Handwara and Kupwara, while Rashid is maintaining his position in Langate.
The BJP’s campaign has been focused on repealing Article 370 and suppressing separatists. It remains to be seen how these themes will resonate with voters in Kashmir, a region still grappling with political tensions.
In today’s election, a number of prominent political figures representing the Congress and the BJP are competing. Among them are:
Devender Singh Rana: The Nagrota-born BJP contender is seen as a rising talent in the organisation. Infrastructure and development have been the main themes of his campaign.
Raman Bhalla: A former minister from Jammu and Kashmir, Bhalla is the Congress candidate from RS Pura-Jammu South and the party’s functioning president. Local governance and administrative improvements have been prioritised by Bhalla.
Tara Chand: Tara Chand, a seasoned Congresswoman and former deputy chief minister, is running from Chhamb. His ability to handle local concerns could be extremely important to the party.
Sajad Lone: The People’s Conference leader and a former separatist, Lone is an important figure in this election due to his popularity in Kupwara and Handwara.
