The Election Commission of India (ECI) recently announced elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The elections will take place in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, 2024. The results are set to be declared on October 8, coinciding with the Haryana Assembly election results. This election marks the first in the region since the abrogation of Article 370, which revoked its special status, effectively suspending political activity for five years.
The last Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir took place in 2014. However, the government collapsed in 2018 when the BJP withdrew its support from Mehbooba Mufti’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led coalition. The District Development Council (DDC) elections were subsequently held in late 2020. In the earlier Lok Sabha elections this year, Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a significant voter turnout of 58.46%, the highest in 35 years.
Jammu and Kashmir now has 90 Assembly constituencies. The BJP has opted to contest the elections independently, while the National Conference (NC) and Congress have formed an alliance. NC will contest 51 seats, Congress 32 seats, and there will be “friendly contests” in five constituencies. Additionally, the CPI(M) has been allocated one seat in South Kashmir, while the Panthers Party has one seat in the Jammu division.
Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections: Constituencies voting in phase one
The first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections is set to happen on September 18. This phase will cover 24 seats, including several crucial ones. In this first phase, 219 candidates are competing across 16 constituencies in Kashmir and eight in Jammu. The Congress and National Conference (NC) have allied, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), People’s Conference, and other parties are running independently. Anantnag district has 64 candidates, Pulwama has 45, Doda has 27, Kulgam has 25, Kishtwar has 22, Shopian has 21, and Ramban has 15.
Here is the district-wise breakdown of the number of constituencies:
Kishtwar:
Specifically in Kishtwar, there are 9 candidates for the 48-Inderwal AC, 7 for the 49-Kishtwar AC, and 6 for the 50-Padder-Nagseni AC.
Doda:
Doda district features 10 candidates for the 51-Bhadarwah AC, 9 for the 52-Doda AC, and 8 for the 53-Doda West AC.
Ramban:
In Ramban, there are 8 candidates for the 54-Ramban AC and 7 for the 55-Banihal AC.
Pulwama:
In Pulwama, the 32-Pampore AC has 14 candidates, the 33-Tral AC has 9, the 34-Pulwama AC has 12, and the 35-Rajpora AC has 10.
Shopian:
Shopian features 10 candidates for the 36-Zainapora AC and 11 for the 37-Shopian AC.
Kulgam:
In Kulgam, the 38-DH Pora AC has 6 candidates, the 39-Kulgam AC has 10, and the 40-Devsar AC has 9.
Anantnag:
Finally, in Anantnag, there are 10 candidates for the 41-Dooru AC, 10 for the 42-Kokernag (ST) AC, 9 for the 43-Anantnag West AC, 13 for the 44-Anantnag AC, 3 for the 45-Srigufwara-Bijbehara AC, 13 for the 46-Shangus-Anantnag East AC, and 6 for the 47-Pahalgam AC.
Assembly constituencies voting in phase one: Demographics and key candidates
1. Pampore:
The battle in the saffron town constituency is between the former Member of Parliament Hasnain Masoodi of Jammu & Kashmir National Conference and Zahoor Ahmad Mir of Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party. Syed Showkat Gayoor Andrabi of the Bharatiya Janata Party is also contesting from the constituency. In 2014, Zahoor Ahmad Mir of the Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party won the seat.
Voters breakup:
Male: 49697
Female: 50680
Transgender: 6
Total 100383
2. Tral:
Tral, previously a separatist hub, is witnessing an interesting clash. For the first time in decades, political parties held huge rallies in the constituency. The battle here is between Rafiq Ahmad Naik of Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party and Surinder Singh of the Indian National Congress. However, with the entry of Engineer Rashid’s party, the clash here has intensified. Rashid’s party, Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), has given ticket to Dr. Harbaksh Singh for the Tral Assembly constituency. Mushtaq Ahmad Shah of J&K PDP won elections from this constituency in 2014.
Voters breakup:
Female: 49348
Transgender: 7
Total: 98156
3. Pulwama:
Pulwama is yet another constituency that is facing a key battle between the two traditional parties of Jammu and Kashmir. Mohammad Khalil Band of Jammu & Kashmir National Conference is up against the famous youth leader, Waheed Ur Rehman Para of the Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party. Fayaz Ahmad Sofi, Aam Aadmi Party is said to ahve gained some ground in the constituency. Mohammad Khalil Band who switched sids from JKPD to JKNC had won this seat in 2014 on JKPDP ticket.
Voters breakup:
Male: 49423
Female: 50130
Transgender: 2
Total: 99555
4. Rajpora:
Rajpora constituency in the Pulwama district has been the stronghold of JKPD for years. In this election Syed Bashir Ahmad of Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party and Ghulam Mohiuddin Mir, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference are contesting against each other. Muddasir Hassan, Aam Aadmi Party is also fightng from this assembly segment. Haseeb A Drabu, known as the architect of JKPDP-BJP coalation in 2014 had won this constituency in 2014.
Voters breakup:
Male: 54554.
Female: 54983
Transgender: 6
Total: 109543
5. Zainapora:
Zainapora, a key constituency in South Kashmir’s Shopian district, has witnessed a pitched campaign for the candidates recently. Showkat Hussain Ganie of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference will be fighting this election against Ghulam Mohi Ud Din Wani of Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party. Aijaz Ahmad Mir who had won this constituency in 2014 is fighting this time as an independent after being denied a ticket by JKPDP recently.
Voters breakup:
Male: 54134
Female: 54357
Transgender: 2
Total: 108493
6. Shopian:
Shopian, the apple town of Kashmir has been boycotting the elections for the past many years. However, this time the constituency is witnessing a change. Candidates including Sheikh Mohammad Rafi of Jammu & Kashmir National Conference and Yawar Shafi Banday, Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party are fighting elections from this constituency. Senior Advocate, Shabir Ahmad Kullay, who was denied ticket by JKNC is contesting as an independent. Mohd Yousuf Bhat of JKPD won this seat in 2014.
Voters breakup:
Male: 50748
Female: 49793
Transgender: 5
Total: 100546
7. D H Pora:
D H Pora constituency nestled in the rural landscapes of Kulgam district has always witnessed pitched political battles. Sakeena Masood, aka Sakeena Itoo of Jammu & Kashmir National Conference is up against Gulzar Ahmad Dar of Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party. Abdul Majeed Padder won this constituency in 2014 on JKPD’s ticket. He will be contesting these elections as Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party’s candidate.
Voters breakup:
Male: 50153
Female: 48878
Transgender: 6
Total: 99037
8. Kulgam:
Kulgam is a unique constituency in J&K. This is the only constituency in the region that is considered to be the bastion of the left politics. Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami of Communist Party of India (Marxist) has retained this seat since 1996. Mohd Amin Dar of Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party and Nazir Ahmad Laway of Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party will be constesting elections from this seat against the CPIM leader. Also, Sayar Ahmad Reshi, who is being backed by Jammat-e-Islami is contesting this election as independent.
Voters breakup:
Male: 58477
Female: 58845
Transgender: 0
Total: 117322
9. Devsar:
Devsar is among the few seats in Kashmir where Indian National Congress has a strong presence. JKNC and INC, who have forged an alliance to fight the current elections in Kashmir, are having a friendly battle on this seat. Aman Ullah Mantoo of Indian National Congress, Peerzada Feroze Ahamad of Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, and Mohammad Sartaj Madni of Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party are up against each other. Mohammad Amin Bhat, who switched from INC to Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Democratic Progressive Azad Party, won this constituency in 2014.
Voters breakup:
Male: 56199
Female: 56175
Transgender: 7
Total: 112381
10. Dooru:
Senior Congress leader Gulam Ahmad Mir, Indian National Congress will be fighting against retired judge Mohmmad Ashraf Malik of Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party
and Bashir Ahmad Wani of Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party. National Confrence has conceeded this seat to INC as part of coalation. Syed Farooq Ahmad Andrabi of JKPD won this seat in 2014.
Voters breakup:
Male: 59052
Female: 57695
Transgender: 2
Total: 116749
11. Kokernag:
Kokernag is a reserved seat for the scheduled tribe candidates. It is among the seats where around a dozen candidates have filed their candidature. Zafar Ali Khatana will be fighting on the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference ticket while Haroon Rashid Khatana of Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party and Mohammad Waqar, Jammu & Kashmir Apni Party are also contesting from this constituency. Abdul Rahim Rather of JKPD won this seat in 2014.
Voters breakup:
Male: 46840
Female: 44439
Transgender: 1
Total: 91280
12. Anantnag West:
Anantnag West is one of the largest constituencies in J&K. The recently carved out constituency will see Abdul Gaffar Sofi of Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party
and Abdul Majeed Bhat of Jammu & Kashmir National Conference contesting against each other. Mohd. Rafiq Wani of Bharatiya Janata Party is also fighting from the same constituency.
Voters breakup:
Male: 63281
Female: 62724
Transgender: 1
Total: 126006
13. Anantnag:
The main Anantnag assembly segment in South Kashmir will witness a close contest between four candidates, including an independent previously associated with PDP and PC. The candidates are Peerzada Mohammad Sayed (NC-Congress alliance), Dr. Mehboob Beigh (PDP), Hilal Ahmad Shah (Apni Party), and independent Peer Mansoor. Veteran JKPDP leader, late Mufti Mohd Sayeed, won this seat in 2014.
Voters breakup:
Male: 30645
Female: 30425
Transgender: 0
Total: 61070
14. Srigufwara Bijbehara:
In the Bijbehara-Srigufwara constituency of South Kashmir, Iltija Mufti (PDP), a third-generation politician and first-time contestant, is up against NC’s Bashir Ahmad Shah (Veeri), an experienced candidate who has unsuccessfully contested several elections. Sofi Yousif of Bharatiya Janata Party is also contesting from this seat. Abdul Rehman Bhat of JKPD won this seat in 2014.
Voters breakup:
Male: 50728
Female: 51353
Transgender: 0
Total: 10208
15. Shangus Anantnag East:
The Anantnag East assembly segment in South Kashmir is gearing up for a highly competitive race, with a tight contest expected between Ab Rehman Veeri of the PDP and Riyaz Ahmad Khan of the NC. Veeri, a former minister and four-time MLA from Bijbehara, is contesting from Anantnag East for the first time. Gulzar Ahmad Wani (Indian National Congress) won this seat in 2014.
Voters breakup:
Male: 50656
Female: 50246
Transgender: 0
Total: 100902
16. Pahalgam:
The picturesque tourist destination Pahalgam is facing a triangular contest between Altaf Ahmad Wani of Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, Shabir Ahmad Sediqui of Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party, and Rafi Ahmed Mir of Jammu & Kashmir Apni Party. In the 2014 polls, NC candidate Altaf Ahmad Wani won this assemmbly seat.
Voters breakup:
Male: 34983
Female: 34710
Transgender: 0
Total: 69693
17. Inderwal:
Eight candidates are contesting from the Inderwal assembly seat situated in the Chenab Valley. However, political analysts say that the battle is mainly between Mohd Zafarullah of Indian National Congress (INC), Taraq Hussain Keen of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Nasir Hussain Sheikh of the Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party. Ghulam Mohd Saroori, who switched to DPAP, won this seat in 2014 on a Congress ticket.
Voters breakup:
Male: 33189
Female: 30911
Transgender: 1
Total: 64101
18. Kishtwar:
Kishtwar is going to witness a tou battle as BJP has fielded a terror victim, Shagun Parihar, from the constituency. Parihar is contesting against Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo of Jammu & Kashmir National Conference and Firdoos Ahmed Tak of Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party. Sunil Kumar Sharma of BJP won this assembly seat in 2014.
Voters breakup:
Male: 37838
Female: 36625
Transgender: 3
Total: 74466
19. Padder-Nagseni:
Padder-Nagseni, famous for the Sapphire mines, has witnessed a pitched campaign by the candidates. Pooja Thakur of Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, Sandesh Kumar of Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party, and Sunil Kumar Sharma of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are contesting from this seat.
Voters breakup:
Male: 20866
Female: 19865
Transgender: 1
Total: 40732
20. Bhadarwah:
Bhadarwah is another seat where the coalation partners INC and JKNC are having a friendly contest. Congress has fielded Nadeem Sharief from this constituency, while the National Conference has fielded Sheikh Mehboob Iqbal from the seat. Daleep Singh would be fighting on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket. Notably, the BJP had won from Bhaderwah in the 2014 Assembly elections
Voters breakup:
Male: 63944
Female: 60618
Transgender: 6
Total: 124568
21. Doda:
The Doda constituency was divided into two seats after delimitation: Doda and Doda West. Doda has a Muslim majority seat. The BJP won the 2014 Assembly elections in Doda. Congress has nominated Sheikh Riyaz for Doda, while the National Conference has chosen Khalid Najib Suharwady. Gajay Singh Rana is contesting on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket, while Abdul Majid Wani has been fielded by Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party.
Voters breakup:
Male: 50546
Female: 48034
Transgender: 2
Total: 98582
22. Doda West:
Doda West seat was carved from the Doda constituency after the recent delimitation exercise. It is a Hindu majority seat. Indian National Congress (INC) has fieled Pardeep Kumar against
Shakti Raj Parihar of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Tanveer Hussai will be contesting on Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party ticket.
Voters breakup:
Male: 45567
Female: 41869
Transgender: 0
Total: 87436
23. Ramban:
Ramban is considered a hot battleground in the election. Arjun Sing Raju of Jammu & Kashmir National Conference is contesting against Rakesh Singh Thakur of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Neelam Kumar Langeh of BJP won this seat in 2014.
Voters breakup:
Male: 50982
Female: 47116
Transgender: 1
Total: 98099
24. Banihal:
Banihal is among the few seats where INC and NC are having a friendly contest. Jammu & Kashmir National Conference’s Sajad Shaheen, Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party’s Imtiaz Ahmed Shan and Vikar Rasool Wani of Indian National Congress (INC) are contesting from the seat. Vikar Rasool Wani won this seat in 2014.
Voters breakup:
Male: 65026
Female: 61069
Transgender: 1
Total: 126096
Three-tier security system
Over 23.27 lakh voters, including 5.66 lakh youths, are eligible to vote in Phase-I. Of these, 11.76 lakh are male, 11.51 lakh are female, and there are 60 third-gender electors. A robust three-tier security system has been implemented across the Union Territory to protect each polling booth. Special booths with enhanced security measures are located near the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border. Approximately 300 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed from across India for election security, complementing the efforts of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CRPF stationed in the Valley.
Also Read: Jammu and Kashmir 2024 Assembly Polls: Election Overview And Key Dates
