J&K Congress Srinagar District President Contests As Independent, Expelled By Party

Congress party in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday expelled a district unit president along with several other leaders from its basic membership due to their actions that contradicted the alliance with the National Conference (NC) and their decision to run as independents in the assembly elections.

A spokesperson for the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) indicated that any violation of alliance unity would not be accepted. The expelled members included Srinagar district president Imtiyaz Ahmad Khan and two others.

First election since the abrogation of Article 370

As voting commenced in the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls, long lines formed at various booths early in the morning. These elections, the first since the abrogation of Article 370, are taking place in three phases across 24 constituencies in seven districts of the Union Territory.

This marks the first assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir since it became a Union Territory, and it is also the first election for an assembly in the past decade. The central government revoked Article 370, which previously granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and divided the former state into two Union Territories—Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh—on August 5, 2019.

Voters lining up at polling stations

Voters, particularly women and the elderly, were observed lining up at polling stations before voting began at 7 a.m. Reports indicated that the lines grew longer after the initial hour as the morning chill gave way to warmer weather.

Voters expressed that this election offered the people of Jammu and Kashmir a long-awaited opportunity to elect their representatives. One voter noted that the day felt like a celebration of democracy, highlighting the importance of a democratically elected government.

Read More: Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024: First Phase Sees 11.11% Voter Turnout 

Polling going on smoothly

Officials confirmed that all arrangements, including security measures, were effectively in place, and polling proceeded smoothly across the 24 assembly segments.

polling In the first phase of the three-phase elections, seven districts located on either side of the Pir Panjal mountain range were participating in the voting process. More than 2.3 million voters were set to determine the outcome for 219 candidates, including 90 Independents, competing in 24 assembly segments—eight in three districts of the Jammu region and 16 in four districts of the Kashmir Valley.

Notable candidates in fray

Notable candidates in Kashmir included CPI (M)’s Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, AICC general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir, National Conference’s Sakina Itoo, and PDP’s Sartaj Madni and Abdul Rehman Veeri. Also in the running were PDP’s Iltija Mufti from Srigufwara-Bijbehara and youth leader Waheed Para from Pulwama.

In Jammu, candidates included former ministers Sajjad Kitchloo and Khalid Najib Suharwardy from NC, Vikar Rasool Wani from Congress, Abdul Majid Wani from DPAP, and Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, who is contesting as an Independent after being denied a ticket by DPAP.

Other prominent candidates included former MLA Daleep Singh Parihar from BJP, former MLC Firdous Tak, and NC’s Pooja Thakur, among others. The constituencies participating in Wednesday’s polls included Pampore, Tral, Pulwama, and others. Polling was scheduled to conclude at 6 p.m., with the next two phases set for September 25 and October 1, and vote counting planned for October 8.

Also Read: CPI(M) Leader MY Tarigami Welcomes J&K Assembly Elections, Hopes For Change & Relief