Rajesh Sharma Prepares Samba for Upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Elections

District Collector and Election Officer Rajesh Sharma has announced that all necessary facilities at polling stations in Samba, Jammu and Kashmir, are ready for the upcoming Assembly elections. The third phase of voting will take place on October 1.

Polling Preparations

Sharma detailed that there are three Assembly constituencies and 366 polling stations in Samba. He stated, "We have prepared everything according to the timeline of ECI. As of now, we are prepared. There is a festival-like environment here. We started taking the nominations from September 5. I personally visited the polling stations and I wanted to ensure the basic facilities like ramp, water, washrooms."

West Pakistani Refugees to Vote

West Pakistani refugees, who were granted citizenship earlier this year, will vote for the first time. Sharma noted, "Now, they have become normal voters. This time, they will choose their representative in Vidhan Sabha for the first time. They are in big numbers from Vijaypur and Ramgarh. We can see they are very enthusiastic."

First Phase Turnout

The first phase of polling, held on September 18, saw a voter turnout of 61.13%. Kishtwar district recorded the highest turnout at 80.14%, followed by Ramban at 70.55%, Doda at 71.34%, Kulgam at 62.60%, Anantnag at 57.84%, and Shopian at 55.96%.

Election Context

This election is the first in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370. Several political parties and independents are contesting, with National Congress and Congress forming an alliance. Voting for the second and third phases will be held on September 25 and October 1, respectively, and votes will be counted on October 8.