More than 35,000 displaced Kashmiri Pandits across the country are set to cast their votes in the first phase of Jammu and Kashmir’s three-phase Assembly elections on Wednesday. Voting will take place at 24 specially set-up polling stations in Jammu, Udhampur, and Delhi, where 219 candidates are contesting across 24 Assembly constituencies in seven districts.
The displaced Kashmiri Pandits will exercise their right in 16 constituencies spread across Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian, and Kulgam districts in south Kashmir.
“As many as 35,500 Kashmiri migrant voters are eligible to vote tomorrow at 24 polling stations established in Jammu, Udhampur, and Delhi,” Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner Dr. Arvind Karwani confirmed. Of these, 34,852 voters are registered in Jammu, where 19 polling stations have been set up, while 648 voters will cast their ballots at one polling station in Udhampur and four in Delhi.
Though the majority of the Kashmiri Pandit population resides in Delhi, only around 600 are registered to vote in this election.
Dr. Karwani assured that all necessary arrangements for free and fair polling have been made, with special provisions for elderly voters, women, and those with disabilities. Security has been bolstered at all polling locations, and election parties have been deployed to their respective stations. Polling materials, including electronic voting machines (EVMs), were handed over to officials in Jammu under tight security.
Six candidates from the Kashmiri Pandit community are contesting in this phase, including Sanjay Saraf of the Lok Jan Shakti Party (LJSP) from Anantnag, BJP’s Vir Saraf, Apni Party’s M.K. Yogi, and independent candidate Dileep Pandita from Shangus-Anantnag. Rosy Raina and Arun Raina are also contesting from Rajpora and Pulwama on Republic Party of India and NCP tickets, respectively.
The first phase of elections will see approximately 23.27 lakh voters, including 5.66 lakh youths, deciding the fate of prominent leaders like Iltija Mufti, daughter of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, contesting from Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Congress’ two-time minister Gulam Ahmed Mir from Dooru, veteran CPIM leader M.Y. Tarigami from Kulgam, and other notable figures.
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