THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
Srinagar, Sept 25: Under the second phase of the Assembly elections, voting began on Wednesday at 7 a.m. for 26 seats in six districts of Jammu and Kashmir. The voting will continue until 6 p.m. A total of 239 candidates are contesting in this phase.
A 24.1 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 11 am in the second phase whereas till 9 am Jammu and Kashmir saw a turnout of 10.22 per cent.
There is great enthusiasm among the people for voting, with long queues of voters seen at polling booths since the morning. A total of 25.78 lakh voters from the union territory’s six districts, including Poonch, Rajouri, and Reasi in the Jammu division, as well as Srinagar, Budgam, and Ganderbal in the Valley, will cast their votes today.
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A large number of local police and security forces have been deployed at the polling stations. Strict security measures have been put in place, including in the border areas where additional security forces, CAPF, and the army have been stationed.
Various senior leaders in fray in second phase
In the second phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, a total of 239 candidates are contesting, including senior leaders such as former Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) Vice President Omar Abdullah, Jammu and Kashmir Congress President Tariq Hameed Karra, Jammu and Kashmir BJP President Ravinder Raina, former ministers Ali Mohammad Sagar, Asiya Naqash, Abdul Rahim Rather, Hakim Mohammad Yasin, Choudhary Zulfikar, and Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party chief Syed Altaf Bukhari.
NC and Congress have formed a pre-election alliance. NC has fielded candidates for 52 seats, while Congress is contesting 31 seats.
Voting for the third and final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections will be held on October 1, with the counting of votes scheduled for October 8.
