New Delhi: Polling for the first phase of Jammu and Kashmir elections is set to begin today to decide the fate of 219 candidates. In this phase, 24 Assembly constituencies spread across seven districts of the Union territory–eight in three districts of Jammu region and 16 in four districts of Kashmir valley — are going to polls.
As many as 23 lakh voters, inclduing 11,76,462 male, 11,51,058 female and 60 third-gender electors, are eligible to exercise their franchise in this phase while 219 candidates, including 90 independents, are in the electoral fray.
The 24 Assembly segments where polling will be held today are – Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, Rajpora, Pampore, Zainapora, Tral, DH Pora, Kokernag (ST), Anantnag West, Anantnag, Devsar, Dooru, Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Shangus-Anantnag East, Pahalgam, Inderwal, Kishtwar, Padder-Nagseni, Bhadarwah, Doda, Doda West, Ramban and Banihal.
The voting will be held at 3,276 polling stations where more than 14,000 polling staff have been deployed to oversee the process, according to the Election Commission (EC). Meanwhile, elaborate security arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful and smooth conduct of the polls. Multi-tier forces from the Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPF), Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police and Jammu and Kashmir Police have been tasked with ensuring law and order.
Who all are in poll fray?
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter Iltija Mufti who is contesting from Srigufwara-Bijbehara and PDP leader Waheed Para, an accused in a terror case, are among the key candidates. Para has been fielded from Pulwama Assembly segment.
Among other prominent candidates are AICC general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir, CPI (M)’s Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, National Conference’s Sakina Itoo and PDP’s Sartaj Madni. While Tarigami is hoping for a fifth consecutive term from Kulgam segment Mir is seeking a third term from Dooru. PDP’s Abdul Rehman Veeri (Shangus-Anantnag) and Sartaj Madni (Devsar) are also key candidates to watch out for.
Other prominent candidates who are trying their luck in this phase include former ministers Sajjad Kitchloo (NC), Khalid Najid Suharwardy (NC), Vikar Rasool Wani (Congress) and Sunil Sharma (BJP). BJP’s young face Shagun Parihar, whose father Ajit Parihar and uncle Anil Parihar were killed by terrorists in November 2018, former MLA Daleep Singh Parihar (BJP), and Pooja Thakur of NC who is sitting chairperson of district development council Kishtwar are also among other prominent faces in the fray.