Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024 Live Updates: Phase 2 polling in 26 seats to begin shortly

livemint.com:

First elections in 10 years The first phase of J-K elections held on September 18 saw 61 per cent voter turnout.Jammu and Kashmir is holding its first assembly elections in a decade to elect a government after over six years of Central rule. This is also first assembly election being held after abrogation of Article 370 in the erstwhile state in August 2019.The final phase of polling will be held on October 1.

The votes will be counted on October 8.Key SeatsThe three districts in Kashmir voting today are Ganderbal, Srinagar, and Budgam and those in Jammu include Reasi, Rajouri and Poonch – the districts that witnessed terror attacks in recent past.The 15 seats in Kashmir division voting today are Kangan, Ganderbal, Hazratbal, Khanyar, Habbakadal, Lal Chowk, Channapora, Zadibal, Eidgah, Central Shalteng, Budgam, Beerwah, Khansahib, Chrar-i-Sharief and Chadoora. The 11 seats of Jammu division voting today include Gulabgarh, Reasi, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, Kalakote-Sunderbani , Nowshera, Rajouri, Budhal, Thannamandi, Surankote, Poonch Haveli and Mendhar.Omar Abdullah, Tariq Karra and Ravinder Raina in the frayAs many as 239 candidates are in the fray for 26 seats today.

Among the key candidates in the fray today include National Conference vice president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah who is contesting from two seats – Ganderbal and Budgam. J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina (Nowshera assembly seat), State Congress Committee president Tariq Hamid Karra (Central-Shalteng) and Apni party president Altaf Bukhari (Channapora) are the other key candidates.As many as 25.78 lakh voters are eligible to cast their ballot in today's phase.

this includes 13.12 men and 12.65 lakh women voters. As many as 1.20 lakh voters aged 18 to