Jammu and Kashmir is holding its third and final phase of voting. The assembly polls in the union territory are being conducted after a decade for its 90-member assembly. The final phase is being held across 40 constituencies on October 1.
As per reports, around 3.9 million eligible voters will cast their ballot in 40 constituencies in seven districts.
J&K Polls: Final Phase Voting Begins on Tuesday
Polling booths opened at 7 AM on October 1 as voters headed to the stations to cast their ballots. Eligible voters have time till 6 PM to cast their vote.
For the third and final phase, a total of 415 candidates are contesting for the 40 seats from various political parties such as the Congress, National Conference, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Apni Party, CPI(M), J&K People’s Conference, and the Democratic Progressive Azad Party. Apart from this, several independent candidates are also in the fray.
The seven districts participating the final phase of voting on Tuesday are Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipora, Udhampur, Samba, Kathua, and Jammu. A total of 5,060 polling stations have been set up for the voters.
J&K Polls Phase 3 - Key Candidates and Constituencies
In the Kashmir division, the voting is held for the Karnah, Trehgam, Kupwara, Lolab, Handwara, Langate, Sopore, Rafiabad, Uri, Baramulla, Gulmarg, Wagoora-Kreeri, Pattan, Sonawari, Bandipora, and Gurez (ST) assembly constituencies.
Meanwhile, in Jammu, Udhampur West, Udhampur East, Chenani, Ramnagar (SC), Bani, Billawar, Basohli, Jasrota, Kathua (SC), Hiranagar, Ramgarh (SC), Samba and Vijaypur, Bishnah (SC). Suchetgarh (SC), R S Pura, Jammu South, Bahu, Jammu East, Nagrota, Jammu West, Jammu North, Marh (SC), Akhnoor (SC), and Chhamb has haeded to the polls.
Among the key candidates for the final phase are People Conference's president and former minister Sajad Lone. Lone is contesting against five-time legislator and minister Choudhary Ramzan in the Handwara constituency.
In the Langate constituency, Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid's brother Sheikh Khursheed is up against PC's candidate Irfan Ahmad Ganaie.
For the third and final phase, security has been heightened in Jammu and Kashmir, especially in the constituency of Baramulla, where a close contest is expected between Muzaffar Baig and his nephew Javaid Baig.
The first phase of voting in Jammu and Kashmir was held on September 18 and the voter turnout was recorded at 61.38 percent. Meanwhile, for Phase 2 of the voting, held on September 25, the voter turnout stood at 57.31 percent.
