The voter turnout for the second phase of polling in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections stood at 36.93% as of 1 PM on Wednesday, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Among the six districts, Reasi recorded the highest voter turnout with 51.55%, while Srinagar saw the lowest with 17.95%. Poonch followed Reasi with a turnout of 49.94%, Rajouri at 46.93%, Budgam at 39.43%, and Ganderbal at 39.29%, as per the ECI.
Meanwhile, Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, addressed a public rally in Jammu, criticizing the BJP-led central government. Gandhi remarked, “For the first time since independence, a state has been downgraded to a Union Territory.” He referred to the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, stating, “This is an injustice. Your democratic rights have been snatched away. J&K is governed by people from other states, not its own people. We expected the restoration of statehood before elections, but we will continue to push for the return of your democratic rights.”
In contrast, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale expressed confidence in the BJP’s chances of winning the elections, citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah’s efforts in reducing terrorism in the region. “It is a good sign that people are voting in large numbers. In the first phase, voter turnout was around 59%, higher than in many other states. The BJP will emerge victorious as J&K progresses toward development,” Athawale said.
Polling for the second phase began at 7 AM on Wednesday, with over 25 lakh eligible voters casting their ballots across 26 constituencies in six districts of the Union Territory. The electorate for this phase comprises 13,12,730 male voters, 12,65,316 female voters, and 53 third-gender voters.
The final phase of polling will take place on October 1, with the counting of votes scheduled for October 8.