A voter turnout of 56.01% has been reported until 3 PM on Tuesday during the third and final phase of the ongoing Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Polling is taking place across 40 constituencies in seven districts of the Union Territory, with varying turnout percentages reported across different regions:
Voting commenced at 7 AM and will conclude at 6 PM, with strong security measures in place to ensure a smooth and peaceful electoral process. The current phase involves voting in 24 constituencies in the Jammu division and 16 constituencies in the Kashmirt region.
This election is significant as it is the first since the abrogation of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The first and second phases of the election saw voter turnouts of 61.13% and 57.31%, respectively.
In the third phase, 415 candidates are contesting, including notable figures like former Deputy Chief Ministers Tara Chand (Congress) and Muzaffar Hussain Beig. The elections feature a multi-party contest for 90 seats across the former state, with major alliances formed among parties: the National Conference (NC) and Congress have allied, while the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are key competitors.
High-profile leaders such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Rahul Gandhi conducted extensive campaigning leading up to the elections.
The counting of votes is set for October 8, as anticipation grows regarding the outcome of these crucial elections.
