J-K Assembly polls phase 1 today: Know full details of constituencies and key candidates to watch

J-K Assembly polls phase 1 today: The first phase of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir is being held in 24 seats across seven districts of the Union Territory (UT) today, September 18. This marks the beginning of three-phase assembly polls – the first such exercise in the erstwhile state in ten years.

The 24 constituencies voting today are spread across Pir Panjal - 16 in Kashmir and eight in Jammu region.

Polling begins at 7 am and will continue until 6 pm, the Election Commission of India said. This is also the first election in the union territory after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

As many as 219 candidates are competing in the first phase of voting. As many as 23,27,580 electors are eligible to vote, according to the poll panel. Overall 14,000 polling staff will oversee the process at 3,276 polling stations in the first phase, the poll panel said.

List of constituencies

The seats voting today include Tral, Pulwama, Rajpora, Zainapora, Shopian, DH Pora, Kulgam, Devsar, Dooru, Kokernag (ST), Anantnag West, Anantnag, Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Shangus-Anantnag East, Pahalgam in Kashmir.

Inderwal, Kishtwar, Padder-Nagseni, Bhadarwah, Doda, Doda West, Ramban, and Banihal are the seats voting in Jammu today.

The last assembly election held in Jammu and Kashmir was in 2014. The PDP-BJP government formed then could not last the full 6-year term as BJP withdrew its support to former Chief MinisterMehbooba Mufti’sPeoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2018.

Since then, the erstwhile state has been under central rule.

Key Candidates

Prominent candidates in the fray from Kashmir include CPI-M's Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, who is seeking a fifth consecutive term from Kulgam seat.

PDP's Iltija Mufti, daughter of party chief Mehbooba Mufti, is contesting from family bastion Srigufwara-Bijbehara seat while Waheed ur Rehman Para of the PDP will contest from Pulwama assembly seat. Para lost Lok Sabha Elections 2024 from Srinagar parliamentary seat.

Congress leader and AICC general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir is seeking a third term from Dooru, while National Conference's Sakina Itoo is seeking another term from Damhal Hajipora seat. PDP's Sartaj Madni (Devsar) and Abdul Rehman Veeri (Shangus-Anantnag) are other key candidates to watch out for.

The Congress and the NC have allied for the assembly elections in the union territory. The PDP, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), People’s Conference, and other parties are also contenders.

In Jammu, key candidates include former ministers Sajjad Kitchloo, Shagun Parihar (Kishtwar), Khalid Najib Suharwardy (Doda) Vikar Rasool Wani (Banihal-Gool), Shakti Raj Parihar (Doda west), among others.