Voting for the Phase-I of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls across 26 Assembly constituencies in six districts started this morning to decide the fate of 239 candidates in the fray.
Voters started pouring into polling booths early this morning to cast their franchise as a clear autumn sky greeted them.
Most polling stations in the six districts of the Union Territory, including Poonch, Rajouri, and Reasi in Jammu division, and Srinagar, Budgam, and Ganderbal in the Valley, wore a festive look.
Security forces drawn from the local police and the CRPF exchanged smiles with the voters as they started pouring out at polling stations.
A total of 25.78 lakh electors are eligible to exercise franchise in the second phase of Jammu and Kashmir elections, which started at 7 a.m. and would end at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to all voters to exercise their franchise to play an important role in strengthening democracy.
On X, Prime Minister Modi wrote in a post, "Today is the second phase of voting for the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. I appeal to all voters to cast their votes and play their important role in strengthening democracy. On this occasion, I congratulate all the young friends who are going to vote for the first time!"
Most of the senior politicians, including former J&K Chief Minister and Vice President of NC Omar Abdullah, J&K Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra, J&K BJP President Ravinder Raina, former ministers Ali Mohammad Sagar, Asiya Naqash, Abdur Rahim Rather, Hakim Mohammad Yasin, Choudhary Zulfiqar, and J&K Apni Party chief Syed Altaf Bukhari, are in the electoral fray in the second phase.
NC and the Congress have joined a pre-poll alliance to fight the elections. The house has presented candidates for 52 seats, while the Congress will contest 31 seats. Two seats - one for CPI-M in the Valley and the other for the Panthers Party in Jammu division - are left uncontested by the NC-Congress alliance.
The two parties, who have been accusing each other of making allegations to gain political mileage, were unable to reach an understanding in five constituencies of Sopore in the Valley and Banihal, Nagrota, Kishtwar, and Doda in Jammu division; both the parties have fielded candidates in these constituencies to engage in friendly competition.
Polling for the third and last phase of the J&K Legislative Assembly polls would be held on October 1 and counting on 8th of October.
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