Special Polling Stations for Kashmiri Migrants in J&K Assembly Elections

The Election Commission has established 24 special polling stations in Jammu, Udhampur, and New Delhi to facilitate voting for Kashmiri migrants in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. Migrants no longer need to fill out Form-M, allowing for easier voting in person or via postal ballots.

The Election Commission (EC) has arranged 24 special polling stations in Jammu, Udhampur, and New Delhi to enable Kashmiri migrants to vote in the approaching Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, according to a senior official.

Chief Electoral Officer Pandurang K Pole stated that people displaced from the Kashmir Valley and residing in Jammu and Udhampur will not need to fill Form-M, simplifying the voting process for them.

Kashmiri migrant voters in relief camps in Jammu, Udhampur, and Delhi, who wish to vote in person through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), can do so at one of the 24 designated polling stations, Pole confirmed. This change follows the precedent set during the Lok Sabha elections, eliminating the earlier requirement for Form-M for migrant electors in these regions.

The draft roll extracts will soon be published, showing the mapping of migrant electors to their designated polling stations. Corrections will be permitted for seven days before final electoral rolls are published. Voters need to produce their Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) or one of the 12 alternate photo identity documents to vote.

Migrants outside Jammu and Udhampur can now self-certify Form-M, making the process easier. They should inform election officials about their exercise of franchise in person. Those not voting in person can opt for postal ballots. The 90 assembly constituencies in J&K will vote in three phases from September 18, with results to be declared on October 4.

(With inputs from agencies.)