Jammu/Srinagar, Sep 18 (UNI) A voter turnout of 50.65 percent was recorded till 3 pm in 24 constituencies of seven districts across Jammu and Kashmir in the first phase of Assembly elections on Wednesday.




Voting remained largely peaceful in three districts of Jammu region and four districts of Srinagar region, officials said.





Earlier, voters in long queues could be seen waiting for their turn to exercise franchise in the first poll in a decade for picking a 90-member Assembly.





In the first eight hours, overall voting in the first phase of Assembly elections touched 50.65 percent with Inderwal recording highest 72.20 percent, Padder-Nagseni recording 71.08 percent, Kishtwar recording 67.58 percent, Doda West recording 66.75 while Tral recording the lowest of 32.87 percent, officials said. Among the seats in the Valley, Pahalgam recorded the highest turnout of 58.59 percent.





Wednesday's elections are the first major democratic exercise to elect an Assembly since the revocation of Article 370 and conversion of the State into a Union Territory in August 2019. The last Assembly election in the erstwhile J&K state was held in 2014.


National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah said that people were waiting for the past 10 years to exercise their democratic voting rights. “It is a good thing that people have come out to vote very early,” Omar told the media in Srinagar. In reply to a question Omar said, “The people were waiting for the past 10 years for the day. We could not understand why people were kept away from their democratic right and why this right was snatched from us.” He said the more the votes are polled the better it is for democracy and for the National Conference.


Congress General Secretary and candidate from Dooru Assembly constituency in Jammu and Kashmir, Ghulam Ahmad Mir said that people are overwhelmingly voting on issues like statehood, land rights and jobs. “I have voted today with the intention to change the 10-year-old poor rule of Delhi in the Jammu and Kashmir,” Mir told media persons after casting his vote in a polling station of Dooru assembly segment


Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon voters, especially "young and first-time voters," to exercise their franchise as the first phase of assembly elections has begun in Jammu and Kashmir.


On the social media post of X, PM Narendra Modi wrote, "As the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections begins, I urge all those in constituencies going to the polls today to vote in large numbers and strengthen the festival of democracy. I particularly call upon young and first-time voters to exercise their franchise."


Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha posted on X, "J&K Assembly elections commence today. I call upon all the voters whose assembly constituencies are voting in the first phase today to turn out in record numbers & exercise their democratic rights. I especially urge youth, women and first-time voters to vote in large numbers."


Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also appealed to voters in Jammu and Kashmir to come out and vote in large numbers to bring peace, stability, justice and progress in the Union Territory. "Every single vote holds the power to shape the future and bring about an era of peace, stability, justice, progress, and economic empowerment. We appeal to all, especially first-time voters, to participate in this crucial election and be the catalysts for change," Kharge said on X.


The polling began at 7 AM in all 3276 polling stations across the 24 Assembly Constituencies of seven districts.



The other two phases of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held on September 25 and on October 1. The counting will take place on October 8.



A total of 23.27 lakh voters are eligible to vote to decide the electoral fate of 219 candidates in this phase of the elections.



Prominent candidates in the first phase include senior Congress working committee member Ghulam Ahmed Mir, PDP’s Iltija Mufti (daughter of party chief Mehbooba Mufti), CPIM leader Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami, PDP youth leader Waheed Para, former MP and National Conference leader Hasnain Masoodi, senior NC leader Sakeena Itoo, BJP leader Sofi Youusf, former Jamaat-e-Islami member Talat Majeed, independent candidate G M Saroori, BJP’s Sushri Parihar, NC’s Sajad Kichloo among others.





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