Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Election Results Awaited as Counting Begins
The counting of votes for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections commenced at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, with the political fate of 873 candidates hanging in the balance across 90 constituencies in 20 districts. As the results are eagerly anticipated, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, along with several senior leaders from the National Conference (NC), BJP, Congress, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and other regional parties, await the people’s verdict.
The election witnessed participation from notable figures, including former Deputy Chief Ministers Muzaffar Hussain Beigh (NC), Kavinder Gupta (BJP), and Tara Chand (Congress), along with a host of former senior ministers. The Assembly comprises 90 seats, which includes nine reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and seven for Scheduled Castes (SC).
Chief Electoral Officer P.K. Pole announced that 28 counting centers have been established across the Union Territory to facilitate the counting process, with postal votes being counted first. Additionally, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will nominate five members to the Assembly based on recommendations from the Ministry of Home Affairs, including two women and representatives from migrant Kashmiri Pandits and West Pakistan refugees.
Exit polls indicate a favorable outcome for the NC-Congress alliance, projecting a significant number of seats for the regional party. The BJP is expected to slightly increase its tally from 25 seats won in the 2014 elections, while the PDP, which previously secured 28 seats, may struggle to reach double digits this time.
Emerging parties such as the People’s Conference, Apni Party, and Democratic Progressive Azad Party are forecasted to secure around 10 seats, according to exit poll predictions.
In anticipation of potential victory celebrations, security measures have been intensified throughout the Union Territory. Section 144 has been imposed around all counting centers, ensuring tight security until all results are officially declared. A three-tier security arrangement is in place, restricting access to authorized counting agents and staff only.
This election marks the first formation of an elected government in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 and the subsequent reorganization of the state into two Union Territories. The voter turnout for this legislative assembly election was recorded at 63.45%, slightly lower than the 65.52% in 2014.
The elections were held in three phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1, with 24, 26, and 40 seats contested in each phase, respectively. As counting progresses, the results will determine the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir for the foreseeable future.
