Over 17.80 lakh voters will decide the destiny of 22 candidates running for the Jammu Parliamentary Constituency in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections tomorrow, April 26.
The constituency is divided into 18 Assembly segments in four districts, including Reasi, Samba, Jammu, and Rajouri.
The administration has invoked “prohibitory measures and suspended internet VPNs ahead of the polling to prevent untoward incidents and restrict the flow of misinformation relating to polls.
According to information released by the Returning Officer 5-Jammu Parliamentary Constituency, Jammu PC has 17,80,835 registered voters, comprising 9,21,095 males, 8,59,712 females, and 28 transgender electors. Of these, 37,822 (37,025 male and 797 female) are service voters.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has established 2416 polling stations throughout the constituency, including “18 Green Polling Stations, 46 Pink Polling Stations, and 18 PwD-manned polling stations.”
Reasi district has 23,52,62 voters, comprising 12,33,23 males, 11,19,36 females, and three transgender voters, divided across three Assembly Constituencies: Gulabgarh (ST), Reasi, and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi.
Out of this, 1,393 are service voters (1,364 men and 29 women). The ECI has established 425 voting sites throughout the area, including 97 vulnerable and 16 essential.
Rajouri district with only Kalakote-Sunderbani Assembly Constituency falling in Jammu PC, has 96,986 voters (50,923 male, 46,062 female) and one transgender voter. Among them, 1,845 (1,820 male, 25 female) are service voters.
Samba district, comprising three Assembly Constituencies including Ramgrah (SC), Samba and Vijaypur has 2,59,198 voters, including 1,32,861 male, 1,26,336 female and one transgender voter.
Similarly, Jammu district, comprising 11 Assembly Constituencies including Bishnah (SC), Suchetgarh (SC), RS Pura-Jammu South, Bahu, Jammu East, Nagrota, Jammu West, Jammu North, Marh (SC), Akhnoor (SC) and Chhamb has 11,89,389 electors, including 6,13,988 male, 5,75,378 female and 23 transgender voters.
The RS Pura-Jammu South Assembly Constituency has the highest number of voters (1,24,744; 64,687 male, 60,054 female), three transgender voters, and 1592 service members
Similarly, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Assembly sector in Reasi district has the lowest number of fewest voters (55,737) (29,340 male, 26,397 female, plus 271 service voters).
Although 22 candidates are contesting for the Jammu LS seat, the major battle is between the two heavyweights, sitting MP, Jugal Kishore Sharma from the ruling BJP and Ramman Bhalla, a former two-time MP, and president of the working congress committee in Jammu and Kashmir.