These are the first assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir since 2014, conducted in three phases. The first phase on September 18 covered 24 seats, followed by the second phase on September 25 for 26 seats, and the third phase on October 1 for the remaining 40 seats.
Key players in this highly awaited election include the Congress-National Conference alliance, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This election occurs five years after Jammu and Kashmir was divided into two union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah expressed on Monday that his party is open to collaborating with Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP if necessary to form a government. He also criticized the decision to allow the Lieutenant Governor to appoint members to the five reserved assembly seats, stating that his party would challenge this move in the Supreme Court if the BJP-led central government pursues it. Including these five nominated members would increase the assembly’s total to 95, raising the majority requirement to 48.
To ensure smooth proceedings in this volatile border region, which has a history of tensions, terrorism, and insurgency, the Election Commission has set up a three-tier security arrangement at all counting centers. Heavy security measures have been implemented at all 20 counting centers and district headquarters across Jammu and Kashmir for Tuesday’s vote count.
The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections were conducted in three phases. The first phase on September 18 saw a voter turnout of 61.38%, followed by 57.31% in the second phase on September 25. The final phase on October 1 recorded a turnout of 65.48% by 5 p.m. The election results will be announced on October 8.
• Check LIVE updates here:
Oct. 8, 05:50 PM: Anil Vij Wins
Anil Vij Secures Ambala Cantt Seat in Election Result LIVE: Veteran BJP leader Anil Vij has won the Ambala Cantt constituency, defeating Independent candidate Chitra Sarwara.
Oct. 8, 05:10 PM: National Conference’s Omar Abdullah Wins Ganderbal and Budgam Seats
Omar Abdullah, vice president of the National Conference, remarked on Tuesday that there were numerous attempts to undermine his party over the past five years through the formation of new factions, all of which were defeated in the recent election. The former chief minister won the Ganderbal and Budgam seats, defeating his closest PDP rivals by margins of over 10,000 and 18,000 votes, respectively.
“Efforts were made to destroy the NC in the last five years. Many parties were formed solely to weaken us, but with God’s grace, those who tried to harm us have been defeated,” Abdullah stated after receiving his victory certificate for the Budgam seat. He also expressed gratitude to the voters in Budgam for their support, allowing him the opportunity to serve the people of J&K once again.
Oct. 8, 04:13 PM: Sajad Lone Secures Handwara, Fails in Kupwara
In the recent elections, Sajad Gani Lone of the Jammu & Kashmir People Conference won the Handwara seat, receiving 29,812 votes and leading by 662 votes over his opponent, Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan from the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, who garnered 29,150 votes, as reported by the ECI. However, in Kupwara, Mir Mohammad Fayaz of the Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party claimed victory with 27,773 votes, surpassing Nasir Aslam Wani of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, who received 17,976 votes. Sajad Gani Lone, also contesting in Kupwara, lost with just 7,457 votes, trailing by 20,316 votes.
Oct. 8, 03:53 PM: Karra’s Victory Marks a Key Win for Congress in J&K Assembly Elections
Tariq Hameed Karra of the Indian National Congress has emerged victorious in the Central Shalteng constituency, receiving a total of 18,933 votes and achieving a lead of 14,395 votes. In contrast, independent candidate Muhammad Irfan Shah finished with 4,538 votes, trailing behind by 14,395 votes.
Oct. 8, 03:45 PM: Aam Aadmi Party Opens Its Account in J&K Elections
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers celebrated at the party office in Delhi after Mehraj Malik, the party’s candidate, secured a victory in the Doda Assembly seat, marking AAP’s entry into the Jammu and Kashmir elections.
#WATCH | Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers celebrate at the party office in Delhi as the party opened its account in the Jammu and Kashmir elections with party candidate Mehraj Malik winning from Doda Assembly seat. pic.twitter.com/MWxDdK37Yr
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2024
Oct. 8, 03:27 PM: ‘No Clear Majority in J&K Elections’, Says G Kishan Reddy
Regarding the trends in the J&K Assembly election results, BJP leader G Kishan Reddy stated, “No party has secured a clear majority yet. We have achieved the highest number of seats in our party’s history in J&K. While Rahul Gandhi claimed he diminished PM Modi’s confidence, the developments made in the first 100 days of Modi 3.0 are evident in both J&K and Haryana. Our performance in the Jammu region compared to Congress has been exceptional. Jammu has become ‘Congress Mukt,’ as they only won one seat here. We are currently leading in 29 seats with a strike rate of 68%.”
#WATCH | Jammu: On J&K Assembly election result trends, BJP leader G Kishan Reddy says, “No party has won a clear majority so far… We have the maximum number of seats ever in our party’s history in J&K. Rahul Gandhi claimed that he brought down PM Modi’s confidence, but the… pic.twitter.com/sKdgmLaTWk
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2024
Oct. 8, 03:05 PM: BJP Leader Kavinder Gupta on the Future of J&K Politics
Regarding the trends in the J&K Assembly election results, former Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Kavinder Gupta stated, “We have secured victories in 90% of the seats, while Congress performed poorly, garnering less than 10%. I believe the NC will push Congress aside. Regardless of who becomes Chief Minister, the main goal should be to focus on the welfare of J&K.”
#WATCH | Jammu: On J&K Assembly election result trends, Former J&K Deputy CM and BJP leader Kavinder Gupta says, “On 90% of seats we have won, Congress’ performance was less than 10%… I think they (NC) will kick out Congress… No matter who becomes the CM, the primary… pic.twitter.com/nU9elnOmYU
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2024
Oct. 8, 02:41 PM: Arvind Gupta Celebrates BJP Victory in Jammu West Assembly Election
Arvind Gupta, the BJP candidate for the Jammu West Assembly seat, stated, “This win belongs to the BJP. I am committed to fulfilling the promises I made to the community. I sincerely thank the people for their love and support.”
#WATCH | Jammu: BJP candidate from Jammu West Assembly constituency, Arvind Gupta says, “This victory is the victory of BJP. I will fulfil the promises I have made to the people. I express my gratitude to the people for the love and support they have given me….” pic.twitter.com/cUSWRQEUjO
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2024
Oct. 8, 02:41 PM: Omar Abdullah Promises to Justify Voter Trust in Budgam
Omar Abdullah, Vice President of the JKNC and the winning candidate from Budgam, stated, “The complete results are not in yet, so we will discuss this later. We are grateful to the voters for the support we’ve received, which has exceeded our expectations. Moving forward, we aim to demonstrate that we deserve these votes.”
#WATCH | Budgam: JKNC Vice President and winning candidate from Budgam, Omar Abdullah says, ” Entire result hasn’t come yet, we will talk about this after that. The way NC has got victory, we are thankful to the voters. People have supported us more than our expectations. Now our… pic.twitter.com/MDP1Q7VjIN
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2024
Oct. 8, 02:12 PM: BJP Candidate Shagun Parihar Vows to Enhance Security in Kishtwar
In Jammu and Kashmir, BJP’s leading candidate from Kishtwar, Shagun Parihar, stated, “My primary focus will be addressing security concerns, as many of our army personnel have lost their lives, including my father. Some have lost brothers and sons. I aim to bring happiness to every household here.”
#WATCH | J&K: BJP’s leading candidate from Kishtwar Shagun Parihar says, ” First of all, what I will do is that, because of security issues, we have lost so many of our army jawans, I lost my father, some have lost their brothers and sons…my efforts will be to ensure that there… pic.twitter.com/jDbIRqQAjU
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2024
Oct. 8, 01:51 PM: Farooq Abdullah Declares Omar Abdullah as Next Chief Minister of J&K
National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah announced that his son, Omar Abdullah, is set to become the next chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. During a press briefing regarding the election results, he stated, “The people have expressed their mandate and shown their disapproval of the decision made on August 5… Omar Abdullah will be the chief minister”. The National Conference and Congress alliance has secured 6 seats and is leading in 45 others.
#WATCH | Srinagar, J&K | National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah says, “After 10 years the people have given their mandate to us. We pray to Allah that we meet their expectations…It will not be ‘police raj’ here but ‘logon ka raj’ here. We will try to bring out the innocent… pic.twitter.com/1MFwED2GQd
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2024
Oct. 8, 01:29 PM: Tanvir Sadiq Wins Zadibal Assembly Seat in Jammu and Kashmir
Tanvir Sadiq, a leader of the National Conference, has been officially declared the winner of the Zadibal Assembly constituency.
#WATCH | #JammuKashmirElections2024 | National Conference leader Tanvir Sadiq officially declared as winner from Zadibal Assembly constituency pic.twitter.com/1nvvoqsD37
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2024
Oct. 8, 01:17 PM: Nazir Ahmad Khan Triumphs in Gurez Assembly Elections
National Conference leader Nazir Ahmad Khan has secured victory in the Gurez (ST) Assembly seat in Jammu and Kashmir, defeating BJP candidate Faqeer Mohammad Khan by a margin of 1,132 votes.
Oct. 8, 01:01 PM: PDP’s Mir Mohd Fayaz wins in Kupwara, Waheed Para registered victory in Pulwama
In a strong show of support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mir Mohd Fayaz has won the Kupwara constituency, while Waheed Para celebrated his victory in Pulwama. These results reflect a growing confidence among voters in the PDP’s vision for the region. Both leaders are expected to prioritize development and community engagement, addressing the needs and aspirations of their constituents. The victories in these key areas signal a promising trajectory for the PDP as they work to strengthen their foothold in Jammu and Kashmir.
Oct. 8, 12:45 PM: Former Deputy CM Kavinder Gupta Discusses J&K Results
In response to the trends in the J&K Assembly election results, former Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Kavinder Gupta stated, “BJP is close to our goal of winning 35 seats, and we believe we will achieve that as the final rounds come in. We’ll wait for the official results before making any definitive statements. However, it’s important to acknowledge that the NC-Congress alliance is currently in the lead, and if they prevail, they will likely form the government.”
#WATCH | Jammu: On J&K Assembly election result trends, Former J&K Deputy CM and BJP leader Kavinder Gupta says, ” BJP is not far behind…we had told that we will win 35 seats and we are reaching nearby. towards the last round, we will achieve our target…We can only say… pic.twitter.com/VkDpGk7k4P
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2024
Oct. 8, 12:29 PM: BJP Support Grows in Basholi, Says Darshan Singh
BJP candidate Darshan Singh from Basholi expressed gratitude to the voters, noting his lead of 12,000 votes. He emphasized that the people are seeking change and are willing to support the BJP and Prime Minister Modi.
#WATCH | Kathua, J&K | BJP candidate from Basholi, Darshan Singh says, “…I thank the people of Basholi as I have a lead of 12,000 votes. They want change, and are ready to go with BJP and PM Modi…” pic.twitter.com/Nsa5KPzxok
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2024
Oct. 8, 11:51 AM: Candidates leading across J&K
Here’s who all are leading from their seats in J&K
BJP : 26
CONG: 40
INC 10
PDP : 05
OTH : 09
Oct. 8, 11:05 AM: Adil Hussain Dar Reflects on Voter Enthusiasm in J&K Assembly Election Results
Adil Hussain Dar, the AIP candidate representing Er Rashid, expressed confidence in the election results, stating, “We are fully assured by the enthusiasm and excitement the people have shown for democracy. After a decade-long gap, they finally had the chance to select their government, and today marks the day of results. This victory belongs to everyone.”
#WATCH | Srinagar: On J&K Assembly election result trends, Adil Hussain Dar, AIP Er Rashid Candidate says, ” We have full confidence, the way people showed enthusiasm and excitement for democracy. After a gap of 10 years, people got the opportunity to choose their govt and today… pic.twitter.com/10kVTxmr10
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2024
Oct. 8, 10:50 AM: NC-Congress Alliance Surpasses Halfway Mark in J&K Elections
The National Conference-Congress alliance has crossed the halfway mark in the Jammu and Kashmir elections.
Oct. 8, 10:05 AM: Raman Bhalla: Congress Alliance Poised to Form Government in J&K
Congress candidate Raman Bhalla from Jammu South stated, “The alliance is set to form the government in J&K. We expected this outcome earlier, as the large crowds at our public rallies indicated the people’s discontent between 2014 and 2024.”
#WATCH | Jammu, J&K: Congress candidate from Jammu South Raman Bhalla says, ” In J&K, the alliance is going to form the govt, we had anticipated it earlier itself because we saw the crowd during public rallies, it showed how much people were sad between 2014 and 2024…” pic.twitter.com/xYlNVWGpef
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2024
Oct. 8, 09:51 AM: Candidates leading across J&K
Here’s who all are leading from their seats in J&K
BJP : 25
CONG: 38
INC 13
PDP : 4
OTH : 10
Oct. 8, 09:35 AM: Engineer Rashid: “Power Is Temporary” as Counting Begins in Jammu and Kashmir
AIP Member of Parliament Engineer Rashid remarked, “Power is not everlasting,” as the counting process commenced in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Power not permanent,” says AIP MP Engineer Rashid as counting gets underway in JK
Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/e4RRSi0BOE#EngineerRashid #JKElections pic.twitter.com/C9SzSEE3Rc
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) October 8, 2024
Oct. 8, 09:20 AM: Mubarak Gul Optimistic About National Conference Victory
Mubarak Gul, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference candidate for the Eidgah Assembly constituency, stated, “The National Conference is set to win these elections. The people have decided to restore our party to power. I am confident that we will secure more seats than what the exit polls have forecasted.”
Oct. 8, 09:15 AM: Candidates leading across J&K
Here’s who all are leading from their seats in J&K
BJP : 25
CONG: 34
INC 15
PDP : 5
OTH : 10
Oct. 8, 09:07 AM: Mir Junaid Discusses Jammu Kashmir Workers Party’s Campaign in Kupwara
Mir Junaid, President of the Jammu Kashmir Workers Party, stated, “The decision rests with the people, and we will accept whatever choice they make. We campaigned for 12 days, and the warmth we felt from the community indicates a positive start. We requested votes in the name of India.”
Oct. 8, 08:42 AM: Candidates leading across J&K
Here’s who all are leading from their seats in J&K
Bjp : 25
Congress+ 44
PDP : 3
Oth : 1
Oct. 8, 08:01 AM: Vote Counting Starts for Assembly Elections in Jammu and Kashmir
Vote counting has commenced for the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir
Assembly polls: Counting of votes begin in Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana
Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/GMfvdx39Hf#assemblypolls #AssemblyElections2024 #HaryanaElections #JammuKashmirAssemblyElection pic.twitter.com/8dOGUbdpJD
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) October 8, 2024
Oct. 8, 07:37 AM: Bhandari Confident in BJP Coalition Victory in J&K Assembly Elections
BJP National Spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari stated, “The outcomes of the assembly elections in J&K will reflect the people’s desire for a pro-development government. The BJP-led coalition is set to win the J&K assembly elections… A government cannot be formed without representation from Jammu… In Haryana, we are optimistic about securing a third consecutive term in office.”
Oct. 8, 07:01 AM: Excitement Builds in Ramban, J&K: Suraj Singh Parihar on the Upcoming Election Count
In Ramban, J&K, as the vote counting approaches, independent candidate Suraj Singh Parihar expresses, “There’s a tremendous enthusiasm among the public… We are at the crucial final stage of this democratic process. Today marks the counting day… Voters are likely filled with anticipation…”
Oct. 8, 05:45 AM: Rajouri Security Update: SSP Randeep Kumar on Measures for Vote Counting
In Rajouri, J&K, SSP Randeep Kumar assures that comprehensive security measures are in place for the vote counting process. He states, “We have taken extensive steps to ensure foolproof security and to prevent any inconvenience. Only individuals with valid ID cards will be permitted entry after thorough checks. Both police and paramilitary forces are on high alert, and we have organized robust security arrangements. We expect the counting process to proceed smoothly and peacefully, with all surveillance equipment operational and teams vigilant.”
Oct. 8, 05:45 AM: J&K BJP President and Nowshera Assembly Candidate Ravinder Raina Expresses Confidence in Election Victory
Ravinder Raina, BJP President and candidate for the Nowshera Assembly, stated, “We are optimistic that the BJP and its allied parties will secure a full majority in the elections… We expect to win between 30 and 35 seats.”
#WATCH | J&K BJP President and candidate from Nowshera Assembly, Ravinder Raina says, “We are confident that BJP and its supporting parties will win the elections with full majority…We will win 30-35 seats…” https://t.co/iwXFalnpVV pic.twitter.com/13sl8exIRc
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2024
Oct. 8, 05:45 AM: J&K: Increased Security Measures at Counting Center in Jammu
Vote counting for the #JammuAndKashmirElection2024 is set to start at 8 AM.
#WATCH | J&K: Security heightened at a counting centre in Jammu
Vote counting for #JammuAndKashmirElection2024 to begin at 8 am. pic.twitter.com/dRKi5dlgVP
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2024
Oct. 8, 05:40 AM: J&K Assembly Elections: Randhawa’s Temple Visit Before Vote Counting
BJP candidate Vikram Randhawa, representing the Bahu Assembly constituency, paid a visit to the Bawe Wali Mata Mahakali Mandir in Jammu as preparations are made for the counting of votes in the J&K Assembly elections.
#WATCH | J&K: Vikram Randhawa, BJP candidate from Bahu Assembly constituency visits Bawe Wali Mata Mahakali Mandir in Jammu ahead of the counting of votes for the J&K Assembly elections. pic.twitter.com/GnGqWBmJiK
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2024
Oct. 7, 07:20 PM: Political Landscape of Jammu & Kashmir: Coalition vs. Independent Candidates
The elections in Jammu & Kashmir are particularly significant as they are the first to be held since the revocation of Article 370 in August 2019. This move ended the special status previously enjoyed by Jammu & Kashmir and led to the division of the former state into two Union Territories: Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
The J&K assembly elections took place in three phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1, encompassing all 90 constituencies. In this politically charged environment, the National Conference and Congress formed a coalition to contest the elections, while the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the BJP opted to run independently.
