J&K To Vote In 3 Phases, First Assembly Polls Since Article 370 Was Scrapped

New Delhi: 

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election – to be held for the first time since 2014, with the former state under President’s Rule since 2018 – will be held in three phases, on September 18, September 25, and October 1, with results to be announced on October 4, the Election Commission said Friday afternoon.

This marks a big step forward in the poll body’s efforts to meet a Supreme Court order – that democracy return to Jammu, and the Kashmir Valley, by September 30. In Srinagar last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed that an election will be held soon and that statehood will be restored.

In preparation for the election, the Election Commission said, the final voter list would be published by August 20, the day after the Amarnath Yatra ends. Around 87 lakh voters are expected to vote. The EC also dismissed questions over the election crossing the top court’s deadline by four days

The people want change… they want to script a new future,” Election Commission chief Rajiv Kumar said, as he outlined the poll body’s plans to hold a safe and successful election in J&K.

“We recently visited J&K to take stock of election preparation. Great enthusiasm was seen… people want to participate in the process. People want elections as early as possible…” he said, recalling the “long queues” at polling booths in J&K and Ladakh during the Lok Sabha election.

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Those queues, he said, were “proof people not only want change but also want to become part of that change. Glimpse of hope and democracy shows the people want to change the picture… they want to write their own destiny. The people chose ballots over bullets…” he declared.