Exciting Voting in Jammu and Kashmir: Women Show Enthusiasm in Kathua
The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections concluded in a peaceful and celebratory atmosphere, marking the end of the third and final phase on Tuesday. In Phase 3, 40 Assembly constituencies across 7 districts saw voting at 5,060 polling stations. A total of 415 candidates were in the fray, including 387 men and 28 women. These Assembly elections, the first since the abrogation of Article 370, were held in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir after a gap of nearly ten years. The counting of votes is scheduled for October 8.
The Election Commission of India had issued the formal schedule on August 16. Polling for 24 constituencies took place on September 18, the second phase for 26 constituencies on September 25, and the final phase for 40 constituencies today. The poll percentage in the first phase was 61.38%, 57.31% in the second phase, and a tentative 68.72% in the third phase. The overall poll percentage stands at 63.45% (tentative).
As per the data, Kupwara recorded a poll percentage of 65.81%, Baramulla 59.84%, Bandipora 67.57%, Ganderbal 62.83%, Srinagar 30.08%, Budgam 63.28%, Pulwama 46.99%, Shopian 57.01%, Kulgam 63.14%, and Anantnag 57.90%. In the Jammu region, Kishtwar recorded 80.20%, Doda 71.32%, Ramban 70.57%, Reasi 74.68%, Udhampur 75.87%, Kathua 72.23%, Samba 75.22%, Jammu 70.25%, Rajouri 71.13%, and Poonch 74.37%.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) stated that the polling concluded peacefully in a celebratory atmosphere. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar expressed confidence that the elections were a resounding statement in favour of democracy. He added that the J&K Assembly elections mark a significant deepening of democracy, which will inspire the democratic spirit of the region for years to come.
The elections also saw a notable increase in voter turnout in areas historically associated with militancy and boycotting democratic processes. Polling percentages rose by 12.97% in the Pulwama Assembly constituency compared to the 2014 elections. Zainapora in Shopian saw a 9.52% increase, while Eidgah in Srinagar recorded a 9.16% rise, reflecting growing confidence in the electoral process.
The National Conference and Congress formed a pre-poll alliance, while the PDP and BJP contested separately. Prominent leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah (BJP), Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and former J&K Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, and Mehbooba Mufti, campaigned extensively for weeks. The West Pakistani refugee community exercised their right to vote for the first time in Assembly elections after gaining citizenship following the abrogation of Article 370.
In 2023, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to hold Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30, 2024.
Doubts Revealed
Jammu and Kashmir -: Jammu and Kashmir is a region in northern India. It is known for its beautiful mountains and valleys.
Assembly elections -: Assembly elections are when people vote to choose their representatives in the state government. These representatives make important decisions for the state.
Kathua -: Kathua is a district in Jammu and Kashmir. It is one of the places where people voted in the elections.
Three-phase elections -: Three-phase elections mean that the voting happened on three different days. This helps manage the voting process better.
415 candidates -: 415 candidates are the people who wanted to be chosen as representatives. They were competing for votes in the elections.
40 constituencies -: A constituency is an area that elects one representative. There were 40 such areas in these elections.
63.45% -: 63.45% is the percentage of people who voted out of all the people who could vote. It shows how many people participated in the elections.
Prime Minister Modi -: Prime Minister Modi is the leader of India. He is very important and helps make big decisions for the country.
Rahul Gandhi -: Rahul Gandhi is a well-known politician in India. He is part of a famous political family and works for the Congress party.
Counting of votes -: Counting of votes is when officials count all the votes to see who won the elections. It is an important part of the election process.
