The third and final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections 2024 will commence today, Tuesday, October 1, with voters set to cast their ballots across 40 assembly seats. The intense campaigning for the third and final phase of polling in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election concluded on Sunday, September 29, 2024 evening, with major political parties, particularly the BJP, Congress, NC and PDP, engaging in fierce exchanges over critical issues, including Pakistan, Article 370, terrorism and reservation.
Voting for this crucial phase, covering 40 Assembly segments across seven districts — Jammu, Udhampur, Samba and Kathua in the Jammu region and Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara in north Kashmir — is scheduled for October 1.
The electoral fate of 415 candidates, including former deputy Chief Ministers Tara Chand (Congress) and Muzaffar Beig, are at stake in this phase. The voter turnout was robust in the earlier phases, with 61.38% participation recorded in the first phase on September 18 and 57.31% in the second phase on September 26.
This is the first Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution in August 2019, with the results set to be announced on October 8.
Jammu and Kashmir Phase 3 Polling: Voting Time
Voting will take place from 7 am to 6 pm and before that there will be a mock poll in the polling stations in presence of the polling agents. Also, the voting will continue even after 6 pm, if voters are standing in queue in the polling station premises to exercise their right to vote. Every polling station will be provided with Assured Minimum Facilities (AMFs) like drinking water, electricity, toilet, ramp, furniture and veranda or shed. Besides, wheelchairs will also be provided to the needy, he said, adding the ballot unit will also have a list of contesting candidates in the Braille script.
Where ever required, there will be separate queues for senior citizens and specially-abled persons facilitating them with early polling, he said.
Jammu and Kashmir Phase 3 Polling: Key Candidates In Fray
Prominent among others in the fray include People's Conference chairman and former minister Sajjad Lone and National Panthers Party India president Dev Singh. While Lone is fighting on two seats from Kupwara, Singh is contesting from Chenani seat of Udhampur.
Former ministers Raman Bhalla (R S Pura), Usman Majid (Bandipora), Nazir Ahmad Khan (Gurez), Taj Mohiuddin (Uri), Basharat Bukhari (Wagoora-Kreeri), Imran Ansari (Pattan), Ghulam Hassan Mir (Gulmarg), Choudhary Lal Singh (Basohli), Rajiv Jasrotia (Jasrota), Manohar Lal Sharma (Billawar), Sham Lal Sharma and Ajay Kumar Sadhotra (Jammu North), Mula Ram (Marh), Chander Prakash Ganga and Manjit Singh (Vijapur) are other strong contenders in the fray.