Kickstarting the process for holding the maiden assembly elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the Election Commission of India on Tuesday issued notification for the first phase of elections.
Twenty-four assembly segments, including 16 from Kashmir Valley and 8 from Jammu province, will go for polling during the first phase of elections.
Per the notification, the last date for filing nominations is August 27, 2024. Scrutiny of the nomination papers shall take place on August 28, 2024, and the last date of withdrawal of candidature is August 30, 2024.
The polling day for these assembly constituencies is scheduled for September 18, 2024, and the polling will be conducted from 07:00 AM to 06:00 PM, the notification reads.
24 assembly segments will go for polling in the first phase
24 Assembly constituencies (ACs) in the districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian, and Kulgam in Kashmir Valley and, Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar in Jammu province shall go to polls in the first phase while polling for the rest shall be held in the second and third phases.
In Kashmir Division 16 Assembly Constituencies comprising
- Pampore;
- Tral;
- Pulwama;
- Rajpora;
- Zainapora;
- Shopian;
- D.H. Pora;
- Kulgam;
- Devsar;
- Dooru;
- Kokernag (ST);
- Anantnag West;
- Anantnag;
- Srigufwara – Bijbehara;
- Shangus - Anantnag East;
- Pahalgam
In Jammu Division notification was issued for eight Assembly Constituencies comprising
- Inderwal;
- Kishtwar;
- Padder – Nagseni;
- Bhadarwah;
- Doda;
- Doda West;
- Ramban;
- Banihal.
Last assembly elections were held in J&K in 2014
The last assembly elections were held in this part of the country in 2014 when Jammu and Kashmir were a full-fledged state and the present Union Territory of Ladakh was part of the erstwhile state.
In that election, out of the total 87 seats, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats, followed by BJP with 25 seats.
The PDP and BJP formed a post-poll alliance and a coalition government headed by the late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was formed.
After the demise of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Mehbooba Mufti headed the PDP-BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir, which collapsed on June 19, 2018, after withdrawing support from the BJP.
After a period of Governor's rule in Jammu and Kashmir, the region transitioned to President's rule. On August 5, 2019, the central government made a historic decision to revoke Article 370 and Article 35A, leading to the reorganization of the former state into two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. Since then, the governance of Jammu and Kashmir has been overseen by Lieutenant Governors.
In 2020, a Delimitation Commission was set up to redefine the boundaries of Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies. This process resulted in an increase in the number of Assembly seats in the Union Territory, rising from 83 to 90, excluding those designated for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The upcoming Assembly elections will be the first to be held in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370.
Last year, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Centre's decision to revoke Article 370. The court directed the Election Commission of India to hold elections for the Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir, as constituted under Section 14 of the Reorganisation Act, by September 30, 2024. The court also called for the prompt restoration of statehood.
