J-K polls update: Vaishno Devi seat heads to its inaugural election

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections: The second phase is being held with 239 candidates across 26 constituencies. Key battles feature Omar Abdullah and BJP's Ravinder Raina

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections headed into their second phase on Wednesday, in which 239 candidates will compete across 26 constituencies in the Union Territory. These constituencies, spread across six districts, will witness some key battles featuring candidates such as former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah (Budgam and Ganderbal seats); UT Bharatiya Janata Party Chief Ravinder Raina (Nowshera); J-K Congress Chief Tariq Hamid Karra (Central-Shalteng seat), among others.

All parties have expressed confidence in winning the Assembly elections, which are taking place for the first time since Article 370, which offered special status to J-K, was revoked in 2019. The last Assembly polls were conducted in 2014, back when the region was a state. It was bifurcated into two UTs: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, after Article 370 was abolished.

Latest updates on J-K Assembly elections:

1) Following today's polling, one more phase of elections will be held on October 1, and the counting of votes will be done on October 8, parallel to the counting of Haryana Assembly elections (on October 5).

2) BJP candidates Baldev Raj Sharma (from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Assembly seat) and Ravinder Raina were seen offering prayers ahead of the polling. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Assembly seat is heading into its inaugural elections. "We are very happy about the fact that our constituency is named after Shri Mata Vaishno Devi," Sharma said on Wednesday.

3) Jailed separatist leader Sarjan Ahmad Wagay, also known as Barkati, has entered the poll fray from Beerwah and Ganderbal segments.

4) Additional seats where elections will take place today are: Rajouri (ST), Budhal (ST), Thannamandi (ST), Surankote (ST), Poonch Haveli, Mendhar (ST), Habbakadal, Lal Chowk, Channapora, Zadibal, Eidgah, among others. All seats are present in six districts: three each in Jammu and Kashmir.

5) To ensure inclusivity, the Election Commission has made efforts such as a home polling process to facilitate voting for the elderly and people with disabilities. Polling teams will be accompanied by security forces to ensure a smooth process.

6) In the second phase, a total of 2.5 million voters are eligible to participate. In the inaugural phase, held on September 18, 2.3 million voters were eligible.

7) Besides the old parties, Congress veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad's Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), created in 2022, is also entering the poll fray this election season.

8) As many as 3,502 polling stations have been established, including 1,056 urban stations. All stations will have webcasting facilities to ensure a fair election process, the EC said.

9) Of these, there are 26 'pink polling stations', which will be managed by women. A similar number of polling stations will be managed by people with disabilities. There are also 31 border polling stations.