The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced on Thursday that the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir recorded an overall voter turnout of 63.88% in the recently concluded Assembly elections. The elections, held in three phases, were the first in the region since the abrogation of Article 370.
The third phase of the elections, held on October 1, saw the highest voter participation, with a turnout of 69.69%. Phases 1 and 2 recorded polling percentages of 61.38% and 57.31%, respectively. Notably, female voter turnout in the third phase stood at 70.02%, slightly higher than the male turnout of 69.37%.
The overall turnout for male voters throughout the elections was 64.88%, while female voters registered a 63.04% turnout. Among the assembly constituencies, Chhamb reported the highest polling percentage of 80.34% in the third phase.
“The elections were a resounding statement in favour of democracy, in line with Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar’s confidence expressed during the announcement of the general elections in J&K on August 16,” the statement had said.
These elections mark a significant milestone for Jammu and Kashmir, with major political parties like the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference and Congress contesting as partners under the INDIA alliance, while the PDP and BJP fought independently.
Prominent leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and former J&K Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, and Mehbooba Mufti, were actively involved in the campaign.
The counting of votes is scheduled for October 8. In 2023, the Supreme Court had directed the Centre to hold Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30, 2024.
(Inputs from ANI)