For the first time in a decade, voters in Jammu and Kashmir will be participating in the 2024 assembly elections. This marks the first such election since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, with the first phase scheduled for Wednesday as part of a three-phase process.
According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), more than 23 lakh voters will decide the fate of 219 candidates, including 90 independents, across 24 constituencies—8 in the Jammu region and 16 in the Kashmir valley. Security has been heightened with multi-layered arrangements involving the Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPF) alongside Jammu and Kashmir Police and Armed Police.
Key Points on Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Election 2024:
- Post Article 370 Election: This is the first assembly election post-Article 370 abrogation. Over 14,000 polling staff have been deployed to manage the process at 3,276 polling stations.
- Youth and Special Voters: In phase 1, around 1.23 lakh first-time voters aged 18-19, 28,309 persons with disabilities (PwDs), and 15,774 elderly voters (above 85) are eligible to vote.
- Notable Candidates: Key candidates from the Kashmir region include PDP’s Iltija Mufti, CPI(M)’s Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, and Congress’ Ghulam Ahmad Mir.
- Separate Alliances: While the National Conference (NC) and Congress are allied, they have fielded separate candidates in some constituencies, such as Banihal, Bhaderwah, and Doda.
- Key Candidates in Jammu: Prominent figures in Jammu include former ministers Sajjad Kitchloo (NC), Vikar Rasool Wani (Congress), Sunil Sharma (BJP), and independent candidate Ghulam Mohammad Saroori.
- Polling Stations: The first phase will take place at 302 urban and 2,974 rural polling stations. Each will be manned by four election officials.
- Kashmiri Pandit Voters: Over 35,000 Kashmiri Pandits will vote in the first phase. The ECI has simplified paperwork for those displaced in the 1990s, allowing easier participation.
- Absence of Government Since 2018: Jammu and Kashmir has not had an elected government since 2018, when the BJP ended its alliance with the PDP, leading to the resignation of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
- Constituency Breakdown: Of the 90 assembly seats, 74 are for the general category, nine are reserved for Scheduled Tribes, and seven for Scheduled Castes.
- Pulwama Contest: In Pulwama, Waheed Para, accused in a terror case, is up against former party colleague Mohammad Khalil Bandh, who is now contesting on an NC ticket.
This election is significant as it could shape the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir post-Article 370, with several key candidates and parties vying for influence in the region.
