Voting Begins in Second Phase of J&K Assembly Elections: 10.22% Turnout Recorded in Early Hours

Srinagar : The second phase of voting on 26 seats across six districts in Jammu and Kashmir began on Wednesday, September 25, and will conclude at 6 pm. Security has been tightened in key constituencies like Rajouri, which, along with Poonch and Reasi, has witnessed a surge in terror attacks over the last few years.

A voter turnout of 10.22% was recorded in the first two hours until 9 am across the 26 seats in this phase. Budgam recorded a turnout of 10.91%, Ganderbal 12.61%, Reasi 13.37%, and Rajouri 12.71%. Poonch saw the highest turnout so far at 14.41%, while Srinagar registered the lowest at 4.70%.

More than 2.5 million voters are set to decide the fate of 239 candidates, including 79 from the Pir Panjal region of Jammu. This is the first assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir in 10 years, following the abrogation of Article 370.

The first phase of voting took place on September 18 across 24 constituencies in seven districts, with a voter turnout of 61.13%. The third and final phase will occur on October 1, and the votes will be counted on October 8.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah is a key candidate in this phase, contesting from both Ganderbal and Budgam. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina is vying to retain his Nowshera seat in Rajouri, which he has held for a decade.

To ensure an inclusive and transparent voting process, the Election Commission has set up 157 special polling stations. These include 26 ‘pink polling stations’ headed by women, 26 managed by specially-abled persons, 26 run by youths, 31 border polling stations, 26 green polling stations, and 22 unique polling stations.

An alliance between the Congress and National Conference is in play for this election, while the BJP and the PDP are also significant contenders.

As elections are being held after a decade, voters expressed enthusiasm, with long queues forming outside polling stations.

“We have been waiting for 10 years (for elections), and the first phase went well. We expect a good turnout from the second phase also…This participation is not because of the government of India it is in spite of everything the government of India did. They have humiliated people, and all the machinery of the government to detain and harass people…All election days are important. Yes, I have a personal stake in this but all phases are important…” NC vice president Omar Abdullah said.