Final Phase of J&K Assembly Elections Underway Amid Tight Security

Polling for the final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections began on Tuesday in 40 constituencies across seven districts. With major political leaders appealing to the electorate, voting will conclude at 6 pm. The results, set to be announced on October 8, are highly anticipated.

The third and final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections commenced on Tuesday, with voters lining up at polling stations across 40 constituencies in seven districts of the Union Territory. The polls began at 7 am and will conclude at 6 pm, with 24 constituencies in Jammu division and 16 in Kashmir under tight security to ensure a smooth voting process.

Democratic Progressive Azad Party Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad cast his vote at a polling station in Jammu. He urged the region's populace to participate in the electoral process. "I appeal to people to come out and vote. The political party that comes to power should resolve the issues," Nabi Azad stated, adding that voters hold the power to decide the majority party.

In this phase, 415 candidates, including former deputy Chief Ministers Tara Chand from Congress and Muzaffar Hussain Beig, are contesting. Mock polling was conducted at various booths before voting began. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from the Bahu assembly constituency, Vikram Randhawa, offered prayers at Bawe Wali Mata Mahakali Mandir ahead of the elections. His main rivals are Congress' Taranjit Singh Tony and PDP's Varinder Singh.

The intense campaign for this final phase concluded on Sunday evening. This election is historic, being the first in a decade and the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. The three-phase contest involves multiple parties vying for 90 seats across the former state, with alliances formed between key players like the National Conference (NC) and Congress.

Earlier phases saw voter turnouts of 61 per cent and 57.31 per cent, respectively, as reported by the Election Commission of India. The campaigning highlighted major issues such as Pakistan, Article 370, terrorism, and reservation, with prominent leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah from BJP, and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi actively participating.

Other notable figures in the political arena include former J-K chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, and Mehbooba Mufti. The votes will be counted on October 8, with the entire Union Territory eagerly awaiting the results.

(With inputs from agencies.)