Jammu and Kashmir Sees Peaceful Voting in Second Phase with 56.79% Turnout
The second phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir concluded peacefully with a 56.79% voter turnout across 26 assembly constituencies. The voting started at 7 am and ended at 6 pm on Wednesday.
High Voter Turnout in Various Districts
Reasi district saw the highest voter turnout at 74.14%, followed by Poonch at 73.78%, Rajouri at 69.85%, Ganderbal at 62.63%, Budgam at 61.31%, and Srinagar at 29.24%.
Key Candidates
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Tariq Hamid Karra were among the key candidates. Voting took place across six districts: Budgam, Ganderbal, Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, and Srinagar, with 25.78 lakh eligible voters deciding the fate of 239 candidates.
Security and Supervision
Chief Electoral Officer PK Pole confirmed the peaceful nature of the polls. CEC Rajiv Kumar, along with ECs Gyanesh Kumar and Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, supervised the process to ensure incident-free voting. Strong security measures and webcasting at all polling stations ensured transparency.
Historical Significance
CEC Rajiv Kumar described the elections as ‘history in the making,’ highlighting the participation of voters in areas previously affected by fear and boycott. The voter turnout in this phase surpassed that of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Special Arrangements
Special polling stations were set up near the border to allow voters in remote areas to participate. A home-voting facility was introduced for the first time, enabling those with physical limitations to vote from home.
Appreciation and Future Phases
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha praised the high voter turnout and the efforts of election officials and security forces. A delegation of diplomats also observed the elections. The third and final phase of polling will be held on October 1, with vote counting scheduled for October 8.
Doubts Revealed
Jammu and Kashmir -: Jammu and Kashmir is a region in northern India. It has beautiful mountains and is known for its scenic beauty.
Polling -: Polling means voting. People go to polling stations to vote for their leaders.
56.79% Turnout -: This means that 56.79% of the people who could vote actually went and voted.
Assembly Constituencies -: These are areas that elect one representative each to the legislative assembly. There are 26 such areas in this phase.
Former Chief Minister -: A former Chief Minister is someone who used to be the head of the government in a state. Omar Abdullah is one such person.
Congress Chief -: The Congress Chief is the leader of the Congress party in that area. Tariq Hamid Karra is the leader here.
Reasi -: Reasi is a district in Jammu and Kashmir. It had the highest number of people voting.
Security Measures -: These are steps taken to keep people safe. For example, having police at polling stations.
Webcasting -: Webcasting means showing live video on the internet. This helps people see that voting is fair.
Special Polling Stations -: These are extra places set up for people to vote, especially near the border.
Home-voting Facility -: This allows people to vote from their homes, especially if they can’t go to the polling station.
Third Phase -: This is the next round of voting. It will happen on October 1.
Vote Counting -: This is when all the votes are added up to see who won. It will happen on October 8.
