Srinagar, (Jammu and Kashmir): Polling for the high-octane assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir began amid a multi-layered security cover at 7:00 am on Wednesday, the first time since the abrogation of Article 370, as 24 constituencies spread over seven districts of the Union Territory went to polls in Phase 1 amid tight security arrangements, officials said.
This is the maiden assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir in a Union Territory setup and also the first poll to elect an assembly in the last 10 years. The Centre abrogated Article 370, which gave special status to J-K, and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two UTs J-K and Ladakh -- on August 5, 2019.
The voting will continue till 6:00 pm, with around 23.27 lakh voters deciding the fate of 219 candidates for 24 Assembly Constituencies (ACs) across seven districts.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir VK Birdi assured the public that stringent security measures are in place. "All polling booths have been covered. Special nakas (checkposts) have been set up at inter-state and inter-district levels, and night patrolling is also taking place," he told the media on Tuesday.
Over 23 lakh voters will decide the fate of 219 candidates, including 90 Independents, who are running for 24 assembly segments -- eight in three districts of Jammu region and 16 in four districts of Kashmir valley. According to the Election Commission (EC), a total of 23,27,580 electors are eligible to vote in phase 1, comprising 11,76,462 male, 11,51,058 female, and 60 third gender electors.
"As many as 1.23 lakh youth between the age 18 to 19 years, along with 28,309 Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and 15,774 elderly voters above the age of 85 are also eligible to exercise their franchise in phase one," an EC official said.
The seats up for election in the first phase are spread across the Kashmir and Jammu divisions. In Jammu, polling for eight ACs is underway, whereas the Kashmir Division has sixteen seats.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) said it has set up 3,276 polling stations with 100% webcasting to ensure transparency.
The official said a total of 14,000 polling staff will oversee the process at 3,276 polling stations. "There are 302 urban polling stations and 2,974 rural polling stations. Four election staff, including the Presiding Officer, will be stationed in each polling station. In total, more than 14,000 polling staff will be deployed on duty for the 1st phase election," he said.
In this phase, youth voters play a significant role, with 5.66 lakh voters aged 18 to 29. At least, 28,309 persons with disabilities (PwDs) and 15,774 voters above 85 will also participate.
Chief Electoral Officer of Jammu and Kashmir, PK Pole, also encouraged voters to turn out in large numbers. "I request all voters to cast their vote today, September 18, at the designated polling stations in your villages and neighbourhoods," Pole said, in a video message.
Meanwhile, Srinagar police have declared the city a red zone for drone operations, banning unauthorised drone usage to ensure security during the elections.
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