The Assembly elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted in three phases, beginning on September 18, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said on Friday.
During a press conference in New Delhi, Kumar announced the election schedule, saying that the first phase of voting will take place on September 18, followed by the second phase on September 25, and the final phase on October 1. The counting of votes is scheduled for October 4.
Nominations for the first phase must be filed by August 27, for the second phase by September 5, and for the third phase by September 12.
“During the Lok Sabha elections in J-K, there was vibrant participation. The long queues and the shine on people’s faces were a testament to this… We aim to further strengthen the layers of democracy in J&K,” Kumar said.
There are 90 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, with 74 designated as General, nine as Scheduled Tribe (ST), and seven as Scheduled Caste (SC). The total number of registered voters in Jammu and Kashmir stands at 87.09 lakh.
Authorities, including Enforcement Agencies, District Magistrates (DMs), and Superintendents of Police (SPs), have been directed to ensure the elections are conducted in a free, fair, and inducement-free manner.
This election marks the first assembly poll in Jammu and Kashmir in a decade, following the last election in 2014. The PDP-BJP coalition government collapsed in June 2018 when the BJP withdrew its support from then-Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
In December 2023, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to complete the election process by September 30, 2024.
(With ANI input)