With the three phase assembly elections taking place for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir in last 10 years, the Congress is all set to hold the meeting of the Central Election Committee on Friday here, party sources said.
On Thursday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposotion Rahul Gandhi, who are on two day visit to the erstwhile state addressed the party workers in Srinagar.
Rahul Gandhi also asserted that the party will have alliance in the erstwhile state but it will not compromise with the respect and dignity of the party leaders and workers.
Even on Monday, Kharge held a detailed meeting with the members of the Screening Committee at the party headquarters where LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was also present.
According to party leaders, the Congress will be holding the meeting of the CEC for the first phase scheduled on September 18 and before that the leaders will also hold the Screening Committee meeting.
The notification for the nomination for first phase was issued on August 20 and as per the notification, the last date for filing nominations is August 27, 2024.
Scrutiny of the nomination papers shall take place on August 28, 2024, and the last date of withdrawal of candidature is August 30, 2024.
The party leaders also said that the party leaders are also in talks with the leadership of the National Conference for alliance in the state. The Congress has also replaced its former State unit chief Vikar Rasool Wani with Tariq Ahmed Karra.
The Election Commission had announced the dates for assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday. The elections for assembly in J&K will take place in three phases — September 18, September 25 and October 1. Counting of votes will take place on October 4. While 24 seats will go to the polls in the first phase, the elections will be held in 26 seats and 40 seats in the second and third phases, respectively. The Lok Sabha polls held recently witnessed an overwhelming response with 58% vote, with NC and BJP getting two seats each.
The notification has been issued for Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam districts in Kashmir, and Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar districts in Jammu.In Kashmir Division 16 Assembly Constituencies comprising Pampore, Tral, Pulwama, Rajpora, Zainapora, Shopian, DH Pora, Kulgam, Devsar, Dooru, Kokernag (ST), Anantnag West, Anantnag, Srigufwara – Bijbehara, Shangus – Anantnag East, Pahalgam and in Jammu Division, eight assembly constituencies comprising Inderwal, Kishtwar, Padder – Nagseni, Bhadarwah, Doda, Doda West, Ramban and Banihal are scheduled to go to polls in the first phase of the electoral process.The elections will take place in J&K almost after 10 years and for the first time after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 and the special status being stripped.