High Voter Turnout in Final Phase of Jammu and Kashmir Elections

A 44.08% voter turnout was recorded by 1 pm in the final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. The voting process is peaceful with no incidents reported, and the turnout varies across districts. Special initiatives have been undertaken to facilitate voter participation.

In a significant democratic exercise, Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a voter turnout of 44.08 per cent by 1 pm during the third and final phase of the assembly elections, according to Election Commission (EC) data.

Voters lined up early in the morning, despite the chill, in 40 assembly segments across seven districts, including the winter capital Jammu, where voting began at 7 am under stringent security measures. Officials reported peaceful polling without any untoward incidents.

The electoral process saw enthusiastic participation from historically marginalized groups, such as West Pakistani refugees, Valmiki Samaj, and the Gorkha community, who exercised their voting rights for the first time following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Special initiatives such as 50% webcasting, 240 special polling stations, and 50 pink polling stations managed by women, were implemented to enhance voter engagement.

(With inputs from agencies.)