Srinagar: The second phase of the Legislative Assembly Elections 2024 will cover 26 assembly constituencies across six districts of Jammu & Kashmir, including Ganderbal, Srinagar and Budgam in Kashmir division, Reasi, Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu division.
In Kashmir valley, 15 assembly constituencies are up for election: 17-Kangan (ST); 18-Ganderbal; 19-Hazratbal; 20-Khanyar; 21-Habbakadal; 22-Lal Chowk; 23-Channapora; 24-Zadibal; 25-Eidgah; 26-Central Shalteng; 27-Budgam; 28-Beerwah; 29-Khansahib; 30-Chrar-I-Sharief and 31-Chadoora, while as in Jammu division 11 assembly constituencies: 56-Gulabgarh (ST); 57-Reasi; 58-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi; 83-Kalakote- Sunderbani; 84-Nowshera; 85-Rajouri (ST); 86-Budhal (ST); 87- Thannamandi (ST); 88-Surankote (ST); 89-Poonch Haveli and 90-Mendhar (ST) will go for polls in this phase.
According to the latest electoral rolls, 25,78,099 lakh voters are eligible to cast their ballot in this phase, comprising 13,12,730 lakh male voters, 12,65,316 lakh female voters and 53 third-gender voters.
As many as 1,20,612 lakh voters aged 18 to 19 are eligible to vote in phase II of the assembly elections. Among these, 11,294 are male and 10,065 are female first-time voters. This phase will also see participation from 19,201 Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) voters and 20,880 voters above the age of 85.
During this phase, 93 candidates are in fray in Srinagar district, followed by 46 in Budgam district, 34 in Rajouri district, 25 in Poonch district, 21 in Ganderbal district, while 20 candidates are contesting in Reasi district.
In Reasi district, six candidates are in fray in Gulabgarh (ST); seven candidates in Reasi AC; while seven candidates are contesting in Shri Mata Vaishno Devi constituency.
In Rajouri district, 11 are in fray in Kalakote-Sunderbani; five candidates in Nowshera; eight candidates in Rajouri (ST); four candidates in Budhal (ST), while six candidates are contesting in Thannamandi (ST).
In Poonch district, eight candidates are in fray in Surankote (ST); eight candidates in Poonch Haveli; and nine candidates are contesting in Mendhar (ST).
Similarly, in Ganderbal district, six candidates are contesting in Kangan (ST) and 15 candidates are contesting in Ganderbal assembly constituency.
In Srinagar district, 13 candidates are in fray in Hazratbal; 10 candidates in Khanyar; 16 candidates in Habbakadal; 10 candidates in 22-Lal Chowk; eight candidates in 23-Channapora; 10 candidates in 24-Zadibal; 13 candidates in 25-Eidgah; while 13 candidates are contesting in 26-Central Shalteng.
In Budgam district, eight candidates are in fray in 27-Budgam; 12 candidates in 28-Beerwah; 10 candidates in 29-Khansahib; 10 candidates in 30-Chrar-I-Sharief; and six candidates are contesting in 31-Chadoora.
To facilitate the voters for smooth and hassle-free electoral participation, the Election Commission of India (ECI) says it has established 3502 polling stations with 100 percent webcasting across 26 assembly constituencies. These include 1056 urban polling stations and 2446 rural polling stations.
To enhance voter participation, it says 157 special polling stations have been established in second phase including 26 polling booths managed by women as ‘Pink’ polling stations, 26 polling stations manned by specially-abled persons, 26 polling stations manned by youths, 31 border polling stations, 26 green polling stations and 22 unique polling stations.
The voting will take place from 7.00 am to 6.00 pm.
The election campaign saw emotional appeals to people and uncouth remarks about rivals, as the leaders of different parties tried to woo voters of 26 assembly constituencies spread across six districts of the union territory, including the summer capital Srinagar.
There are 25.78 lakh eligible voters in the penultimate phase of the three-phase assembly elections.
An estimated 61.38 percent of the electorate cast their ballots in the first phase of polling on September 18, while the third phase of elections covering the remaining 40 assembly segments will go to polls in the final phase on October 1. The votes will be counted on October 8.
Over 15,500 KP voters eligible to vote in second phase
More than 15,500 displaced Kashmiri Pandit voters from across the country are eligible to vote at 24 polling stations in the second phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly election on Wednesday.
The polling, scheduled to be held in 26 assembly segments of six districts in the Union Territory on September 25, will decide the fate of 239 candidates.
The displaced Kashmiri Pandits will be exercising their right to franchise in the 15 segments of central Kashmir’s Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal districts.
“Over 15,500 Kashmiri migrant voters are eligible to cast their votes at 24 special polling stations set up in Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi tomorrow for the second phase of elections,” Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner Arvind Karwani told PTI.
Karwani, who is supervising the election process, said over 14,700 such voters are registered in Jammu to exercise their right to franchise at 19 polling stations here.
Similarly, over 600 Kashmiri migrant voters are registered in Delhi to cast their votes at four polling stations in Delhi and over 350 at one such polling station in Udhampur, he said.
Although the majority of Kashmiri Pandit population lives in Delhi and NCR areas, a miniscule number of over 600 have registered for the polling in current assembly elections.
Karwani, who is supervising to facilitate better arrangements and facilities for the displaced community voters, said all arrangements have been made for free and fair polling on Wednesday.
Over 25.69 lakh voters will decide the fate of leaders such as former chief minister Omar Abdullah, Congress Pradesh chief and former minister Tariq Hamid Qarra, Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina, Apni Party chief Syed Altaf Bukhari, ministers Ali Mohmmad Sagar and Abdul Rahim Rather, including four Kashmiri Pandits in the fray.
