The nomination papers of 35 candidates were rejected while 244 were found valid on the day of validating the documents for 24 Assembly seats in the Jammu and Kashmir elections.
Filing started on Thursday today for the second phase of polling on 26 seats, including 11 in the Jammu division and 15 in Kashmir valley.
Election officials said out of 279 nomination papers received for the first phase of polling scheduled for September 18, 35 nomination papers, including that of jailed separatist leader Sarjan Ahmad Barkati planning to contest from Zainapora Assembly constituency, had been rejected.
"Nomination papers of all prominent candidates on 24 seats, including eight in the Doda region of Jammu division and 16 in Kashmir, were found valid," officials said.
Only papers of supporting candidates and some Independents were rejected.
August 30 is the last date for the withdrawal of nomination papers, after which the exact number of candidates for Phase I will be known.
Salajin Barkati, whose papers were rejected, has been lodged in Central Jail Srinagar since his re-arrest by the State Investigation Agency last August in a criminal case of crowdfunding and money laundering.
His daughter Sugra Barkati with activists Adil Ahmad Khan and Anghar Chand protested the rejection with PDP candidate Ghulam Mohiudin Wani and Independent Aijaz Mir.
Nomination process will begin today for 26 Assembly seats of Jammu and Kashmir, out of which 11 are in Jammu division and 15 in Kashmir valley.
Candidates can file nomination papers till September 5 with scrutiny on September 6 and the last date for withdrawal on September 9. Polling for these seats will be held on September 25.
During scrutiny, a total of 84 nomination papers were found valid for the first phase in the Jammu division, inclusive of 34 in Doda district, 29 in the Kishtwar district and 21 in the Ramban district.
The number of papers found valid included 12 in Kishtwar’ Inderwal, 10 in Kishtwar and seven in Padder-Nagseni. In Doda’s Bhadarwah 14 candidates’ papers were accepted, in Doda 11 were accepted and in Doda West nine were found valid. In Ramban 12 were found valid and in Banihal nine papers were accepted.
In Pulwama district, 14 papers were accepted in Pampore; 10 in Tral; 12 in Pulwama and 10 in Rajpora.
In Shopian district, 10 papers were accepted in Zainapora; and 11 in Shopian. Six candidates’ applications were accepted in Kulgam district’s DH Pora, while 10 papers each were accepted in Kulgam and Devsar.
Out of all papers filed in Dooru in Anantnag district, 12 were accepted, while in Kokernag and Anantnag West the number was 10 each, with 13 accepted in Anantnag.
Three candidates’ papers were accepted in Srigufwara-Bijbehara and 13 in Shangus-Anantnag East, and six in Pahalgam.
More than 23.27 lakh voters, including 5.66 lakh youths are eligible to exercise their franchise in Phase-I of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections.
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