Jammu and Kashmir assembly election: Phase 2 polling for 26 seats in 6 districts today | 10 points

Jammu and Kashmir assembly election: A total of 26 assembly constituencies across six districts in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir is voting on Wednesday, September 25, in phase 2 of assembly election to decide the fate of 239 candidates.

Polling began at 7 am and will end by 6pm, with over 2.5 million voters set to vote across six districts - three in the Kashmir Valley and three in Jammu division. This is the first assembly poll in the restive region since its special status and statehood were scrapped five years ago.

10 points on phase 2 of J&K assembly election

1. Security has been tightened across all the regions to ensure peaceful conduct of polls. Many assembly seats fall along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan, and officials predict lesser chances of cross border shelling due to ongoing ceasefire between India and the neighbouring country.

2. Three among the six districts -Reasi, Rajouri and Poonch-have been hit by back-to-back terror attacks over the last three years.

3. Eleven seats in the hill districts have been the most volatile, with over a dozen terror attacks since 2021, with latest being the brutal attack on a pilgrimage bus in Reasi.

Also read | Pak barbs fly as campaigning for 2nd phase ends

4. The 26 constituencies set to elect their new MLA's are- Kangan (ST), Ganderbal, Hazratbal, Khanyar, Habbakadal, Lal Chowk, Channapora, Zadibal, Eidgah, Central Shalteng, Budgam, Beerwah, Khansahib, Chrar-i-Sharief, Chadoora, Gulabgarh (ST), Reasi, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, Kalakote - Sunderbani, Nowshera, Rajouri (ST), Budhal (ST), Thannamandi (ST), Surankote (ST), Poonch Haveli and Mendhar (ST).

5. Key candidates in phase 2 are former chief minister Omar Abdullah, BJP J&K chief Ravinder Raina and JKPCC president Tariq Hamid Karra.

6. Omar Abdullah is contesting the polls from two assembly seats - Ganderbal and Budgam, while Karra is contesting from Central Shalteng. J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina is contesting the polls from Nowshera in Rajouri, a seat he has held since 2014.

7. The wealthiest candidate is J&K Apni party chief Altaf Bukhari whose wealth exceeds ₹165 crore. He is contesting from Channapora seat in Srinagar and faces PDP's Mohammed Iqbal Trumboo, National Conference's Mushtaq Guroo, and BJP's Hilal Ahmad Wani.

8. Campaign discourse largely centered around terrorism, abrogation of Article 370 and restoration of statehood, and the resumption of dialogue with Pakistan over the Kashmir dispute.

9. Pakistan defence minister Khawaja Asif’s remarks on Article 370 and the Congress-NC alliance gave the BJP fresh ammunition to target the alliance and accuse them of being on the “same page” with the neighbouring country.

10. In an effort to showcase the democratic transition in J&K, Government of India has invited a delegation of foreign diplomats to visit the Union Territory to have a first-hand account of polling.

(With agency inputs)