Polling officials with security personnel leave for their respective polling stations on the eve of first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election, in Kishtwar district, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. Photo: PTI Polling officials with security personnel leave for their respective polling stations on the eve of first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election, in Kishtwar district, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. Photo: PTI 
Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday voted for the assembly elections for the first time since 2014 and the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution that stripped the erstwhile state of its special status and divided it into two Union Territories - J&K and Ladakh.
Polling for the first phase of J&K assembly elections took place on Wednesday, while that for the remaining two phases will take place on September 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 8, coinciding with that for Haryana assembly election.
Jammu And Kashmir Election Phase 1 Voting | Top Points-Voter Turnout: The Union Territory recorded a voter turnout of 58.85 percent in the first phase of the Assembly polls, the Election Commission said. The maximum voting percentage was recorded in Kishtwar at 77.23 percent, followed by Doda at 69.33 percent, Ramban at 67.71 per cent, and Kulgam at 61.57 percent.
-Seats voting in Phase 1: A total 24 seats across seven districts of Jammu and Kashmir, located on either side of Pir Panjal mountain range, voted for the first time in an assembly election in 10 years on Wednesday. The seats were: Pampore, Tral, Pulwama, Rajpora, Zainapora, Shopian, DH Pora, Kulgam, Devsar, Dooru, Kokernag (ST), Anantnag West, Anantnag-Bijbehara, Shangus-Anantnag East, Pahalgam, Inderwal, Kishtwar, Padder - Nagseni, Bhadarwah, Doda, Doda West, Ramban and Banihal.
Who's Voting: Over 23 lakh voters decided the fate of 219 candidates, including 90 independents, who are running for the 24 assembly segments, of which eight are in three districts of Jammu region and 16 are in four districts of Kashmir valley. According to the Election Commission (EC), a total of 23,27,580 electors were eligible to vote in phase 1, comprising 11,76,462 male, 11,51,058 female and 60 third-gender electors.
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-Key Candidates: Key candidates in Phase 1 voting in Kashmir included CPI (M)'s Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, AICC general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir, National Conference's Sakina Itoo, and PDP’s Sartaj Madni and Abdul Rehman Veeri. PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti's daughter Iltija Mufti, running from Bijbehara, is in a triangular contest with NC's Bashir Ahmad Veeri and BJP's Sofi Mohammad Yousuf. PDP's Sartaj Madni (Devsar) and Abdul Rehman Veeri (Shangus-Anantnag) are also key candidates to watch out for.
-Iltija Mufti, Waheed Para In Fray: Srigufwara-Bijbehara and Pulwama assembly candidates, PDP's Iltija Mufti and Waheed Para, respectively, were in the fray in Phase 1 of the Jammu and Kashmir election 2024. Iltija Mufti is the third generation politician from her family to run for office from Bijbehara. Waheed Para, an accused in a terror case, faces stiff challenge from his former party colleague Mohammad Khalil Bandh, who is now contesting on NC ticket. The contest here heated up with the entry of a former member of banned Jamaat-e-Islami Talat Majid Alie. Tarigami also faces a similar candidate in Sayar Ahmad Reshi.
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Security Arrangements: Massive security arrangements were put in place for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, with multi-tier forces from the Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPF), Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police and J&K Police. Ahead of the votingpogo88, "Jammu and Kashmir police have made elaborate security arrangements for the assembly polls so that maximum number of people can exercise their right to vote," news agency PTI quoted Inspector General of Police Kashmir Zone VK Birdi as saying.