As Assembly polls kick off in Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the people of Jammu and Kashmir to vote in large numbers to strengthen the festival of democracy.
The voting for the first phase of the assembly polls began on Wednesday for the first phase of three phase elections in Jammu and Kashmir on both sides of the Pir Panjal region.
In a post on X, PM Modi also called upon first-time voters to exercise their franchise.
“As the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections begins, I urge all those in constituencies going to the polls today to vote in large numbers and strengthen the festival of democracy. I particularly call upon young and first-time voters to exercise their franchise,” PM Modi said.
The polling began at 7 a.m. today amid tight security measures. The polling will conclude at 6 pm. Early reports suggest that long lines of voters were seen at the polling station in the morning.
Like in Lok Sabha, voter participation and voter turnout is expected to be on the higher side this time.
In the first phase, 24 assembly constituencies across the Union Territory are voting today, which includes 16 seats in the Kashmir division and 8 seats in the Jammu division.
Voting for the second and third phases in J-K will be held on September 25 and October 1, respectively. The results will be declared on October 8.
The elections in J&K are happening after a decade and for the first time since the Article 370 abrogation in 2019.
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