Image Source: Agencies

In 26 Assembly segments throughout the UT, voting for the second round of the Jammu and Kashmir election got underway on Wednesday morning.

An official declaration states that the polls opened at seven in the morning.

"We have seen long lines of eager voters waiting for their turn to exercise their right to vote since early morning at all 3502 polling stations spread across 26 Assembly constituencies of six districts, namely Ganderbal, Srinagar, and Budgam in Kashmir Division; and Reasi, Rajouri, and Poonch in Jammu Division," the statement stated.

September 24, 2024: Security guards outside a pink voting place next to Dal Lake in Srinagar.

The CEO shared a photo of people waiting in line in Kangan early in the morning to cast their ballots for Ganderbal's second phase in a post on X.

In the second phase of the election, more than 2.5 million voters will select 239 candidates vying for 26 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly seats.

All eyes are on the Srinagar district's Assembly segments, which saw low voter turnout in the 2014 Assembly election, ranging from the lowest at 21.31 percent in the Habba Kadal segment to the highest at 44.03 percent in Sonwar (now Lalchowk).

Even though voter turnout in the most recent Lok Sabha elections beat previous records, Srinagar had very low voter turnout. The Zadibal Assembly seat had the greatest voter participation (29.51%), while the Habba Kadal constituency had the lowest (14.05%).

In J&K, 26 seats will vote in the second phase on Wednesday.

Six districts—three in the Valley (Srinagar, Ganderbal, and Budgam) and the same number in the Jammu division (Rajouri, Poonch, and Reasi)—were covered.

Important contenders

NC leader Omar Abdullah of Ganderbal and Budgam

President of the JKPCC Tariq Hamid Karra hails from Central St.

Nowshera-born BJP J&K president Ravinder Raina

Separatist commander Sarjan Ahmad Wagay, a prisoner from Beerwah and Ganderbal

Channapora native Altaf Bukhari, leader of the Apni Party

239 candidates will be decided by 2.5 million votes.

Arif Irshad Laigroo, a candidate for the People's Democratic Party, said to The Tribune, "People have been through a very terrible time and they have recognized how vital it is to have their own candidate." "I am hoping that more people would cast ballots this time around than in the Lok Sabha and 2014 Assembly elections."

Within a Srinagar polling station, children from Kashmir stand alongside Indian security forces.

BJP UT chairman Ravinder Raina, Chowdhary Zulfikar Ali of the BJP, Javed Ahmed Rana of the NC, Mohd Shahnawaz of the Congress, and candidate Javed Ahmed Rana of the NC are the main contenders in the Jammu area.

Leaders of the ruling and opposition parties, Rahul Gandhi of the Congress, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in a political showdown during the second phase of the campaign.

This is Jammu and Kashmir's first Assembly election after Article 370, which gave the area special status, was repealed and the region was divided into two union territories in August 2019. On September 18, the first round of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election was observed to be 61%.


As of 3 p.m., 6 districts had registered 46.12% of the total vote.

25 September 2024, 3:46 p.m.

CEC Rajiv Kumar said that history is being made.

25 September 2024, 3:19 p.m.

According to Kumar, there is complete CCTV surveillance accessible during this phase, and people of all ages, including women and children, can be seen calmly waiting in line to exercise their right to vote. It is a celebration of democracy. Voting is happening in places where it was not done before. In the past, requests for disruption and boycott have been made. Standing ovations for democracy are due, the CEC declared, addressing Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Gyanesh Kumar, two other election commissioners.

INDIA alliance will hit the road if J-K statehood not restored after polls: Gandhi Rahul

25 September 2024, 2:58 p.m.

Jammu: Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, stated on Wednesday that if the BJP-led government is unable to grant Jammu and Kashmir statehood following the current Assembly elections, the INDIA group will employ all of its resources within Parliament and may even take to the streets.

Up to one pm, six districts tallied 36.93% of the total vote.

25 September 2024, 1:38 p.m.

Kashmiri Pandits voted in the second round with the hopes of returning to their native country.

1:15 p.m. on September 25, 2024

Jammu: On Wednesday morning, a number of displaced Kashmiri Pandits started exercising their franchise at several polling places. The uprooted Pandits expressed their overwhelming optimism for the Assembly election. They anticipated that the new administration would take care of security concerns and ease their return to their native country.

Voters who are female and worried about rising electricity costs

1:13 p.m. on September 25, 2024

Srinagar: The revocation and restoration of the former state's special status dominated the election campaigns of all the major political parties in Jammu and Kashmir; nevertheless, female voters are more concerned about the growing cost of power. Their concerns center on necessities like as water, power, and foodgrains supplied by the public distribution system.

24.10 percent of votes were cast in six districts as of 11 a.m.

September 25, 2024, at 12:00 p.m.

Omar attacks the Center for bringing in international observers to see the J-K elections.

25, September 2024, 11:21 a.m.

Srinagar: Omar Abdullah, the vice-president of the National Conference, attacked the Centre on Wednesday for inviting international observers to watch the ongoing Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, claiming that the elections were an internal Indian affair. "Why foreigners should be expected to oversee elections here is beyond me. When international governments make comments, the Indian government responds, "This is an internal problem for India," and then all of a sudden they want outside observers to attend our elections, according to Abdullah.

Diplomats traveling to Kashmir to observe elections

25, September 2024, 11:21 a.m.

On Wednesday, senior diplomats are traveling to Kashmir to observe the ongoing assembly elections, including those from the US, Norway, Singapore, and many other nations. Diplomats from the US, Mexico, Guyana, South Korea, Somalia, Panama, Singapore, Nigeria, Spain, South Africa, Norway, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Algeria were among the delegation's members and the Philippines, according to those with knowledge of the situation.


10.22% of votes were cast in six districts as of nine in the morning.

25 September 2024, 9:49 a.m.

Chief of the J&K BJP Raina votes in Nowshera

25 September 2024, 9:37 a.m.

Jammu: On Wednesday morning, Ravinder Raina, the president of the Jammu and Kashmir Bharatiya Janata Party, cast his ballot in the Rajouri district's Nowshera Assembly constituency. He also stated his confidence that his party will form the government in the Union Territory.

Second phase: The first several hours see a lot of polling in J-K.

25 September 2024, 9:25 a.m.

Voting in the second round of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election got underway on Wednesday morning with a brisk pace. According to officials, lines of voters were observed at several polling places covering all 26 seats in six districts.