Page 49 - Jammu And Kashmir

J-K Assembly elections: Voting underway for third and final phase of polls

Voting commenced on Tuesday for the third and final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, covering 40 seats across seven districts, including the winter capital Jammu. More than 39.18 lakh eligible voters are set to decide the electoral fate of 415 candidates, including two former deputy chief ministers Tara Chand and Muzaffar Baig. The election will witness West Pakistani refugees, the Valmiki Samaj, and the Gorkha community exercise their franchise, having gained voting rights for the first assembly polls following the 2019 abrogation of Article 370. They previously participated in the Block Development Council and the District Development Council polls of 2019 and 2020, respectively. Polling began at 7 am in 16 assembly segments in three border districts of north Kashmir amid tight security. The assembly segments in the region going to the polls are Baramulla, Uri, Rafiabad, Pattan, Gulmarg, Sopore, and Wagoora-Kreeri (Baramulla district), Kupwara, Karnah, Trehgam,

Kharge asks J-K voters to 'teach lesson' to those who took away statehood

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday urged the people of Jammu and Kashmir to vote in large numbers in the third and final phase of the assembly polls in the union territory and "teach a lesson" to those who snatched statehood from them. Voting for the third phase is underway in 40 seats across seven districts, including the winter capital Jammu. More than 39.18 lakh eligible voters are set to decide the fate of 415 candidates. In a post on X, Kharge said, "As voting for the third phase of the Jammu and Kashmir elections commences, I urge the people in these 40 Assembly seats to exercise their Democratic rights in large numbers." This is the final chance to "teach a lesson" to those who snatched statehood from the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress president said. "Remember, that a single vote can change your destiny and usher in a brighter future, which secures your Constitutional rights," he said. "A single vote is valuable enough to ensure better employment .

Jammu-Kashmir elections: Afzal Guru's brother, 2 ex-Deputy CMs in race

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections: The final phase of polls is underway with over 400 candidates. A multi-party contest is unfolding in the region, marking the first Assembly polls since 2014

J-K Assembly polls: PM Modi, Shah urge voters to exercise their franchise

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged voters to come forward and exercise their franchise in the third and final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections to make the festival of democracy a success. Voting commenced on Tuesday for the third and final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, covering 40 seats across seven districts, including the winter capital Jammu. More than 39.18 lakh eligible voters are set to decide the electoral fate of 415 candidates. "Today is the third and last round of voting in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. I request all voters to come forward and cast their votes to make the festival of democracy a success," Modi said in a post in Hindi on X. "I am confident that apart from the young friends who are going to vote for the first time, women power will also participate in the voting in large numbers," the prime minister said. Polling began at 7 am in 16 assembly segments in three border districts of north Kashmir ami

Protests, gatherings in central, outer Delhi banned till Oct 5: Police

Delhi Police on Monday banned protests and the gathering of five or more persons in the central and bordering areas of the city for the next six days, citing law and order issues. According to an order issued from the Delhi Police Headquarters, Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora has directed to impose the section 163 (which was earlier section 144 of CrPC) of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita in the districts of New Delhi, North and Central and all police stations jurisdiction sharing the borders with other states. The prohibitory order will remain effective till October 5, the order stated. "There will be heavy movement of VVIPs and dignitaries in the areas of New Delhi and Central District on October 2, on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi," it said. The order further stated that the Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana legislative assembly elections are underway and, thus, there was a need to have continuous checks on the movement of persons and vehicles from Delhi borders. "The

Haryana polls highlights: Fight between Cong, BJP a struggle between justice, injustice, says Rahul

J-K, Haryana Assembly polls highlights: Catch all the latest news developments related to the Assembly polls here

Over 20k polling staff mobilised for final phase of J-K Assembly polls

Over 20,000 polling staff have been mobilised Monday across seven districts of Jammu and Kashmir on the eve of third and final phase of assembly elections which will decide the electoral fate of 415 candidates including two former deputy chief ministers Tara Chand and Muzaffar Beig, officials said. The highlight of the voting will be participation of west Pakistani refugees, Valmiki Samaj and Gorkha community who got the voting rights in assembly, urban local bodies and panchayat elections only after the abrogation of Article 370. They have earlier voted in panchayat and urban local bodies polls in 2018. Over 39.18 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise at 5,060 polling stations in this crucial phase, covering 40 assembly segments in Jammu, Udhampur, Samba and Kathua in the Jammu region and Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara in north Kashmir, on October 1. Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Jammu zone, Anand Jain, said adequate security arrangements have been

Ongoing search operations in J&K's Kathua, Rajouri extended to fresh areas

Security forces on Monday extended the ongoing search operations to new areas in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Rajouri districts to hunt down terrorists following recent encounters in the region, officials said. While a policeman and a terrorist were killed and two police officers injured in a fierce gunbattle in remote Kog-Mandli forest village in Billawar tehsil of Kathua district on Saturday evening, a brief exchange of fire took place between terrorists and security forces in Manial Gali in Thanamandi area of Rajouri district on Sunday evening. A massive search operation is going on for the third day in Kathua with cordon extending to over a dozen other villages near the scene of Saturday's encounter, the officials said. They said at least three more foreign terrorists of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) are believed to be hiding in the forest belt. In Rajouri, the officials said the terrorists fled after a brief encounter with security forces at Manial Gali in Thanamandi

Opposition cannot reinstate Article 370 in J-K, says Arjun Meghwal

National Conference, promised restoration of the Article in its manifesto

Seizures worth Rs 130 cr made during J&K polls: Chief Electoral Officer

A total of 1,263 violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) were reported and cash and other materials worth Rs 130 crore were seized during the ongoing assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, according to poll officials. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) P K Pole said that the police department has made the highest seizure at Rs 107.50 crore. Out of the total 1,263 MCC violations reported till date, 600 stand closed after enquiry and taking appropriate action, he said. He said 364 complaints are under investigation which too will be disposed of soon besides notices have been issued to 115 candidates, political parties, media houses and others for alleged MCC violations. Taking stern action against illegal activities involving drugs, cash and liquor, the enforcement agencies have registered 32 FIRs, the CEO said. "Seizures worth a total of Rs 130 crore have been made by different enforcement agencies in J-K during ongoing assembly elections 2024 till now," Pole said. Giving detai

PM Modi calls Congress president Kharge to enquire about his health

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday to enquire about his health after the opposition leader required medical assistance at a public meeting. Kharge became unwell while addressing a rally in the Jasrota belt of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district. After receiving medical attention, Kharge said he is "not going to die" before Modi is removed from power. Congress leaders said Kharge is now stable after a check-up by doctors. Official sources said the prime minister called up the Congress president and wished him good health.

Not possible to restore Article 370 through Assembly: Ghulam Nabi Azad

Democratic Progressive Azad Party chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday said the restoration of Article 370 of the Constitution is not possible through the assembly, asking people not to get misled by false promises of the politicians and vote for development and progress. Addressing a series of election rallies in support of his party's candidates in Jammu on the last day of campaigning, Azad voiced concerns over the promises made by various political parties regarding the return of Article 370 and said these promises are not grounded in reality. We all want the return of Article 370, but we cannot expect anything from the BJP. Even the Congress fails to speak on this crucial issue. It is not possible to restore Article 370 through the assembly, but we can introduce legislation to ensure that no outsider can buy land or secure jobs in our region. This was the essence of Article 370, Azad, a former chief minister, said. The Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) founder said he do n

J&K activist slams Pakistan PM Sharif for his remarks on Kashmir at UNGA

Activist Beigh stressed that despite the lies peddled by Pakistan, the PoGB and PoJK areas rightfully belong to India

J-K polls: Police monitors security in Baramulla ahead of phase-3 elections

The first phase of Assembly polls was held on September 18, while the second phase of polling was held on September 25

1 terrorist killed during encounter in J&K, fresh encounter in Rajouri

A terrorist, suspected to be affiliated with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit, was killed in a remote village of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, officials said on Sunday. Also, a fresh encounter broke out in the Thanamandi area of Rajouri district on Sunday evening when security forces launched a cordon and search operation after getting information about the presence of two terrorists, the officials said. Based on specific intelligence about the presence of terrorists, a joint search operation was launched by security forces at Manial Gali in Thanamandi. Contact has been established and few rounds have been fired from both sides, a police official said. Earlier in the day, a live hand grenade was found on the banks of a stream in the area and the device was later destroyed by experts in a controlled explosion. In Kathua district, the body of an unidentified terrorist was recovered this afternoon from the scene of the Saturday evening encounter at Kog-Mandli in

Campaigning concludes for final phase of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls

The intense campaigning for the third and final phase of polling in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election concluded on Sunday evening, with major political parties, particularly the BJP, Congress, NC and PDP, engaging in fierce exchanges over critical issues, including Pakistan, Article 370, terrorism and reservation. Voting for this crucial phase, covering 40 Assembly segments across seven districts -- Jammu, Udhampur, Samba and Kathua in the Jammu region and Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara in north Kashmir -- is scheduled for October 1. The electoral fate of 415 candidates, including former deputy chief ministers Tara Chand (Congress) and Muzaffar Beig, are at stake in this phase. The voter turnout was robust in the earlier phases, with 61.38 per cent participation recorded in the first phase on September 18 and 57.31 per cent in the second phase on September 26. This is the first Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution in

Kharge falls ill during speech in J&K's Kathua, doctors called for check-up

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge felt dizzy while addressing a public rally on Sunday in the Jasrota belt of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district. He is now stable and doctors are attending to him, party leaders said. Kharge was paying tribute to a head constable who was killed in an ongoing operation with terrorists in Kathua. Two other police personnel have been injured in the incident and one terrorist has been killed. "He was addressing a public rally in Jasrota when he felt uneasy and dizzy. His colleagues helped him into a chair," Congress general secretary Gulam Ahmed Mir told PTI. He added that the Congress president is stable. Kharge had flown to Jasrota to address a rally to garner support for his party candidates in the assembly polls. He is also scheduled to address another public rally in Ramnagar in Udhampur district. Jammu and Kashmir Congress vice president Ravindra Sharma said Kharge felt dizzy and was taken to a room, where doctors were called for a check-up

BJP using J&K as pawn to stir nation, Cong will restore statehood: Priyanka

The Congress will restore Jammu and Kashmir's statehood, party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on Saturday while she slammed the BJP for using the Union territory as a pawn to "stir emotions" elsewhere in the country. Gandhi, the Congress's national general secretary, also criticised Lt Governor Manoj Sinha saying the current administration was a "puppet" government being run with a remote control. "The Congress party has a vision for you and for Jammu and Kashmir. We want to restore your state's status. If our government comes to power, we will immediately restore your statehood. We will also revive the tradition of the Darbar Move," Vadra told a public rally here. Darbar Move refers to the bi-annual shift of government offices, including the secretariat, between Jammu and Srinagar in view of the harsh winter in J-K. "We want to protect your rights, your rights to your land and your employment," said Gandhi while speaking in support of the party candidate in Bishnah, Neeraj ...

J&K polls: Afzal Guru's brother looks to win Sopore with jobs, development

Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru's brother Aijaz Ahmed Guroo, who is fighting the Jammu and Kashmir polls from Sopore on development and employment plank, said the challenges faced by the assembly segment mirror the broader problems of the Union Territory. With a promise to uplift the area and create job opportunities for the youth, Guroo is determined to carve out a distinct political identity, separate from his brother's controversial legacy. "The vision of my brother was different and mine is different," he said in an interview with PTI Videos while emphasising that his focus is on development rather than separatist ideologies. Afzal Guru was hanged in Tihar jail on February 9, 2013, for plotting the December 2001 attack on Parliament. Aijaz Ahmed Guroo, an Independent candidate who did not complete his matriculation, expressed his commitment to upholding the Constitution and addressing the pressing concerns of Sopore. The region has suffered years of neglect, he said. Once

J-K looking for govt free of corruption, terrorism, separatism: PM Modi

People in Jammu and Kashmir are looking forward to a government free of "corruption, terrorism and separatism" for peace and a better future for their children, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday. Addressing an election rally in support of BJP candidates at M A M Stadium here, he said this assembly election has given a historic opportunity to the people of Jammu to decide the next government. They need to seize this moment and choose the BJP, Modi said. "There has been a massive voter turnout in the first two phases of the election. It is certain that the BJP is going to form its first government with an absolute majority in Jammu and Kashmir," he said. This is the prime minister's third visit to Jammu and Kashmir and fourth election rally in a fortnight. He addressed an election rally in Doda district on September 14, four days before the first phase of elections, and two more rallies in Srinagar and Katra on September 19 in the run-up to the second phase of elections.