Interview Times 
BHUBANESWAR: The Jammu-Kashmir Assembly elections began on Wednesday, marking the first electoral process in the region in a decade and the first since the abrogation of Article 370, which led to the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories: Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh.
In the first phase of the elections, 24 Assembly constituencies are heading to the polls, including key areas such as Pulwama, Doda, and Anantnag. The election process will be conducted in three phases, with subsequent phases scheduled for September 25 and October 1. The counting of votes is set to take place on October 8.
Polling commenced at 7 am across the 24 constituencies, safeguarded by a multi-layered security arrangement involving Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPF), Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police, and J-K Police. The voting process is expected to conclude at 6 pm.
A total of over 2.3 million voters will decide the fate of 219 candidates in this phase. Notable candidates include AICC general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir, PDP’s Iltija Mufti, contesting from Srigufwara-Bijbehara, and PDP youth leader Waheed Para from Pulwama. Former three-time MLA and ex-minister Ghulam Mohammad Saroori is running as an Independent after being denied a ticket by the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), founded by former Congress leader and ex-state CM Ghulam Nabi Azad in 2022. The BJP has also fielded its youth leader Shagun Parihar, whose personal connection to the conflict includes the loss of his father and uncle to terrorism in 2018, along with former BJP MLA Daleep Singh Parihar.
The first phase covers crucial constituencies such as Anantnag, Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Anantnag West, Shangus-Anantnag East, Doda, Doda West, Ramban, Banihal, Shopian, and Kulgam, among others. Several former ministers are contesting in Jammu, including Vikar Rasool Wani from Congress, Abdul Majid Wani from DPAP, Sajjad Kitchloo and Khalid Najib Suharwardy from NC, Sunil Sharma from BJP, and Shakti Raj Parihar from Doda West.
Independent candidates make up a significant portion of the first phase, with a total of 90 running for office. Of the 24 constituencies in this phase, eight are in the Jammu region, while 16 are in Kashmir.
Voter demographics show that male voters number approximately 1,176,462, surpassing female voters at around 1,151,462. Additionally, there are 60 third-gender electors, 28,309 persons with disabilities, and 15,774 elderly voters above the age of 85 eligible to vote.
To facilitate the voting process, 3,276 polling stations have been set up, including 302 urban polling stations. Over 14,000 polling staff are on duty to ensure a smooth electoral process.
