Srinagar, Sept 18 :
Amid the ongoing voting in the first phase of Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, Chief Electoral Officer J&K, PK Pole said that the voter turnout is expected to cross 60 percent.
“The way brisk voting is taking place, we hope a promising voter turnout. The turnout is expected to be more than 60 percent,” Pole said.
“There have been no untoward incident in the voting so far whether in Jammu region or south Kashmir districts. Voting has been peaceful,” added the CEO J-K.
Earlier, Chief Electoral Officer P.K. Pole, in a video message, 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. Voting is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for 24 constituencies across seven districts of Jammu and Kashmir. The 2nd phase of assembly elections is scheduled to be held on September 25 and the third on October 1. Counting will be held on October 8.
The J&K assembly elections are being held after a decade and for the first time after the abrogation of Article 370 and the division of the erstwhile state into two territories directly administered by the union government in 2019. The last assembly polls were conducted in 2014 after which the People’s Democratic Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party formed a coalition government that lasted only three years.
In the first of three-phase elections, 24 assembly constituencies are up for grabs. The voting began at 7 am and will end at 6 pm. The 24 constituencies are from seven districts. Four constituencies are in Pulwama, two in Shopian, three in Kulgam, seven in Anantnag, three in Kishtwar, three in Doda, and two in Ramban.
