September 17, 2026 09:13 am (IST)
First phase Jammu and Kashmir Assembly poll on Tuesday
Srinagar, Nov 25 (IBNS) At least 15 of the total 87 assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir would go to polls on Tuesday amid heavy security in the first of the five-phase elections in the militancy-hit state with the BJP emerging as a major power challenger in the state for the first time.
Polling staff and security personnel have reached the 1787 polling stations by Monday morning to man the booths to ensure a free, fair and peaceful ballots to be exercised by 1.51 lakh voters across the state now ruled by National Conference under the chief ministership of Omar Abdullah.
Polling will be held from 8 am to 4 pm in Kishtwar, Inderwal, Doda, Bhaderwah, Ramban and Banihal in Jammu division; Gurez, Bandipora, Sonawari, Kangan and Ganderbal in Kashmir and Nobra, Leh, Kargil and Zanskar in Ladakh area.
An election official told IBNS that the booths were all fully secured by paramilitary forces and state police personnel.
Army has also been deployed in many areas and high alert is being kept in Doda, Ramban, Bhaderwah, Banihal and Gurez in border areas. Many of these areas are militancy prone.
The total 123 candidate, including 12 sitting legislators, are from parties like the ruling National Conference, Congress, BJP, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and others.
Over the five phase about 7.2 million people are eligible to vote.
The second, third, fourth and fifth phases of polling will be held on Dec 2 (18 seats), Dec 9 (16 seats), Dec 14 (18 seats) and Dec 20 (20 seats).
Counting will take place on Dec 23.
(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)
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