Jammu: After the conclusion of all three phases of voting in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the poll percentage was recorded at about 63.45 per cent, higher than the turnout in the recently held Lok Sabha elections in the Union Territory.
A voter turnout of 69.65 per cent was recorded in the third and final phase of voting for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election on Tuesday, according to the Election Commission of India. About 3.9 million people were eligible to vote in the final phase.
The conclusion of all three phases of polling also marked a significant electoral milestone in terms of turnout as well as a generally peaceful atmosphere in both regions — Jammu and the Kashmir Valley.
These were the first Assembly polls in the border territory of Jammu and Kashmir in 10 years. This was also the first Assembly election in the UT after the abrogation of special status under Article 370 in August 2019.
This also marks a historic moment of “first-time voting” for three communities — West Pakistan Refugees, Valmikis, and Gurkhas — who have long lacked voting rights and political representation in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly for the past 75 years.
Udhampur district, which has four Assembly segments, registered the highest voter turnout of 76.09 per cent, followed by Samba district, which has three Assembly segments. Kathua district (six segments) polled 73.34 per cent, followed by Jammu (11 segments) with 71.40 per cent, Bandipora (three segments) with 67.68 per cent, Kupwara (six segments) with 66.79 per cent, and Baramulla district (seven segments) with the lowest at 61.03 per cent.
According to ECI data, there were more than 39.18 lakh eligible voters in the final phase. The first phase of polling, held on September 18, saw an estimated 61.38 per cent voter turnout, followed by 57.31 per cent in the second phase, while the final phase registered 69.65 per cent.
The highest turnout was recorded in the Marh Assembly segment of Jammu district, with 81.47 per cent of registered voters casting their votes. Other notable figures included Chhamb (80.34 per cent), Akhnoor (79.73 per cent), and Gurez (78.04 per cent).
The lowest voter turnout was recorded in the Sopore Assembly segment in Baramulla district, where 45.32 per cent of registered voters cast their votes, followed by 53.90 per cent in the Baramulla segment.
Officials reported that polling was peaceful in all segments, including special polling stations along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC), with no untoward incidents.
In the recent parliamentary polls, the turnout in the seven districts that went to the polls in the final phase on Tuesday was recorded at 66.78 per cent. The turnout in phases 1 and 2 was also higher than in the Lok Sabha elections. Phase 1 districts recorded 61.38 per cent turnout, compared to 60 per cent in the general elections. Phase 2 districts saw 57.31 per cent polling, compared to 52.17 per cent in the Lok Sabha polls.
However, compared to the 2014 Assembly elections, the third phase of polls in 40 Assembly segments across seven districts — Jammu, Udhampur, Kathua, and Samba in the Jammu region, and Baramulla, Bandipora, and Kupwara in north Kashmir — recorded a marked dip in the overall percentage, mostly attributed to ongoing farming activities.
Most seats in the third phase registered a drop of 1 to 15 per cent compared to 2014, except for Sopore, Baramulla, and Pattan constituencies, where the turnout increased this time. Sopore, once a terrorist and separatist stronghold, recorded the lowest turnout of 41.44 per cent, but this was a significant improvement from the 2014 polls when the seat recorded 30.79 per cent voting. Baramulla, a traditional boycott stronghold, recorded a 47.95 per cent turnout, up from 39.73 per cent in 2014, while Pattan saw 60.87 per cent polling, compared to 58.72 per cent in the last Assembly polls.
Polling began at 7 am amid tight security and concluded at 6 pm, sealing the fate of 415 candidates, including two former deputy chief ministers, Tara Chand and Muzaffar Baig, and several former ministers and legislators. Votes will be counted on October 8.
Long queues outside polling stations since early morning marked the enthusiasm among people, who voted for the first time in the Assembly elections after the abrogation of Article 370. Kashmiri Pandits registered a voter turnout of over 30 per cent in the third and final phase of the elections.
Spread across 16 Assembly segments in three districts of North Kashmir, Kashmiri Pandits cast their votes at 24 specially designated polling booths in Jammu, Udhampur, and Delhi-NCR.
“Out of the 18,357 registered displaced Pandit voters, 5,545 turned up to exercise their franchise,” said Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner and Returning Officer Dr. Arvind Karvani.
Special arrangements were made by the Relief and Rehabilitation Department at all polling stations in Jammu and Udhampur to facilitate the voting process. This turnout follows earlier phases where significant participation was observed among migrant Kashmiri Pandits, reflecting their commitment to electoral engagement despite displacement challenges.
In the second phase, nearly 40 per cent of eligible Kashmiri Pandits cast their ballots across polling stations in Jammu, Delhi, and Udhampur. The second phase of the Assembly elections covered central Kashmir, including Srinagar, Budgam, and Ganderbal districts, on September 25.
Similarly, over 31 per cent of migrants exercised their franchise in the first phase of polling for 16 Assembly segments spread over four districts of South Kashmir at polling stations in Jammu, Delhi, and Udhampur on September 18.
The final phase elections, spanning multiple phases across various districts, saw a total of 239 candidates, including prominent leaders from various political parties, vying for seats.
The final phase of polling marks a crucial step towards determining the political landscape in Jammu and Kashmir, with voter turnout figures indicating widespread participation across diverse communities, officials said.