Polling is underway today in Jammu and Kashmir for the third and final phase of the Assembly elections, with over 3.9 million voters eligible to cast their ballots across 40 assembly seats—24 in the Jammu region and 16 in Kashmir. The voting began at 7 AM and will conclude at 7 PM in the Valley, impacting the futures of 415 candidates.
The Election Commission of India has established 5,060 polling stations throughout the union territory, and security measures have been intensified to ensure a peaceful voting process.
Major political players in this election include the National Conference and Congress, who are contesting in an alliance, while the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are also significant contenders.
A noteworthy aspect of this election is the participation of Pakistani refugees, members of the Valmiki Samaj, and the Gorkha community, who gained voting rights in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370.
Key Candidates in the Final Phase: Prominent candidates in this phase include:
- Sajjad Lone, Chairman of the People’s Conference and former minister
- Dev Singh, President of the National Panthers Party
- Current ministers:
- Raman Bhalla (R S Pura)
- Usman Majid (Bandipora)
- Nazir Ahmad Khan (Gurez)
- Taj Mohiuddin (Uri)
- Basharat Bukhari (Wagoora-Kreeri)
- Imran Ansari (Pattan)
- Ghulam Hassan Mir (Gulmarg)
- Choudhary Lal Singh (Basohli)
Exit polls for the Jammu and Kashmir elections are scheduled for October 5, with results expected to be announced on October 8.
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