NEW DELHI, SEPT 26: The second phase of Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections recorded a voter turnout of 57.03% as of 11:45 PM, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI). The polling process, which commenced at 7 AM on Wednesday, concluded at 6 PM.
The ECI reported that Budgam recorded the highest voter turnout of 62.98%, followed by Ganderbal at 62.51%, Poonch at 73.80%, Rajouri at 70.95%, Reasi at 74.70%, and Srinagar at 29.81%. These figures were collected from field officers and represent preliminary trends, as data from some polling stations is still being processed. The final turnout will be updated live through the Voter Turnout App, with results from postal ballots and other pending stations expected later.
The election body emphasized that the final account of votes from each polling station would be confirmed through Form 17 C, shared with polling agents once voting closes.
Key Candidates and Regions The second phase of the assembly elections saw voting across six districts—Budgam, Ganderbal, Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, and Srinagar. Notable candidates included former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, contesting from Budgam and Ganderbal, and Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Tariq Hamid Karra. A total of 25.78 lakh voters were eligible to decide the fate of 239 candidates in this phase.
Supervision and Security The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, closely supervised the polling process to ensure a smooth and incident-free election.
Speaking to the media at Nirvachan Sadan, CEC Kumar highlighted the significance of the elections, describing them as “history in the making,” with democratic participation overcoming previous challenges of fear and boycott in the region. He praised the voters for their resilience and faith in the democratic process.
Strong security arrangements were put in place across all polling stations, including webcasting, to ensure a transparent and secure voting environment.
Turnout Compared to Previous Elections The ECI noted that the voter turnout in this second phase had surpassed the figures recorded in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Many constituencies that had previously faced threats of poll boycotts from separatist elements saw significant voter participation.
The first phase of the J-K assembly elections took place on September 18.
