J&K Assembly Elections 2024 Phase 3 LIVE Updates: 65.48% Turnout Recorded Till 5 PM

J-K Assembly Polls: 65.48% turnout recorded till 5 PM 

J-K Assembly Polls: 56.01% turnout recorded till 3 PM 

A West Pakistani refugee says, "After 75 years we are getting the chance to vote for the first time for J&K assembly elections...I thank the government and we all are celebrating..."

West Pakistani refugees celebrate as they exercise their right to vote for the first time in the J&K assembly elections.

As of 1 PM, voter turnout in Jammu and Kashmir for the third phase of elections stands at 44.08%. The district-wise breakdown is as follows:

Bandipora: 42.67%
Baramulla: 36.60%
Jammu: 43.36% 
Kathua: 50.09%
Kupwara: 42.08%
Samba: 49.73%
Udhampur: 51.66%

44.08% turnout recorded till 1 PM in third phase of assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir

 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Election: “Let’s see. Let’s hope for the best. The last time we went to the polls, we were contesting for one of the most empowered assemblies. Today, we have contested perhaps for one of the weakest assemblies in India. That’s a comedown,” says People’s Conference President Sajjad Lone on election results expectations. 

PDP claims to be Kingmaker in Jammu and Kashmir. 

 “No Govt without PDP", said PDP MLA candidate Varinder Singh Sonu
 

 Several former ministers and candidates were among those who exercised their franchise at various polling stations in Jammu and Samba districts on Tuesday in the third and final phase of the assembly polls.

Many of them also highlighted that the significant voter turnout symbolises the triumph of democracy over Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

J-K Assembly polls: 28.12 pc turnout recorded till 11 am in third phase of polls

West Pakistani refugees cast vote at a polling booth set up in Government Girls Middle School, Arazi

28.12% voter turnout recorded till 11 AM 

 Long denied the right to vote, members of the Valmiki community exercised their franchise for the first time in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections on Tuesday and termed it as a "historic moment".

VIDEO | Jammu and Kashmir Elections 2024: "The most significant thing is that this election, whether it is the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd phase, has been completely free of violence and has taken place peacefully. This makes the 2024 election different from all others. This is the first election since 1990 in which not a single stone was thrown. I hope that the voter turnout in the 3rd phase will be even higher than in the 1st and 2nd phases. Kashmir is now enjoying democracy and has left behind violence," said BJP leader Altaf Thakur.

Union minister Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said the enthusiastic participation of people in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls reflects the success of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies and "true mainstreaming" of democracy in the Union territory.

He also accused previous regimes, especially of the National Conference and Congress, of misusing Article 370 by depriving West Pakistani refugees, Valmiki Samaj and Gorkha community of their “citizenship and voting rights”.

BJP candidate from  Nagrota Assembly seat, Devender Singh Rana casts his vote at a polling booth in Jammu.

11.60% voter turnout recorded till 9 am in the third and final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. 

Bandipore-11.64% Baramulla-8.89% Jammu-11.46% Kathua-13.09% Kupwara-11.27% Samba-13.31% Udhampur-14.23%

Former Deputy CM of J&K and BJP leader Kavinder Gupta said, " ...Elections are taking place in Jammu and Kashmir after 10 years and there is enthusiasm among the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Today, people have shown their gratitude towards democracy and have expressed their faith in it, so I am sure that the government that will be formed will be in favour of democracy and in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party..."

11.60% voting turnout recorded at 9 AM as Jammu and Kashmir votes for final phase of elections. 

 Mallikarjun Kharge asks J-K voters to 'teach a lesson' to those who snatched statehood from them

"I want to thank PM Modi, the BJP's leadership. The festival of democracy is being celebrated, happiness is palpable. It is being seen after a long time in J&K. This is the true mainstreaming of democracy in J&K as voters are coming out to vote in large numbers. This time, almost after around 50 years, like the other states, an assembly election is being conducted for 5 years, earlier the term used to be 6 years... Article 370 used to be misused by family-based parties... Grass-root democracy was restored in last 10 years. There is a very healthy atmosphere here. This is the first election when there was no call for strike from Pakistan, there is no 8-10 pc voting like it used to be either... The refugees who came from Pakistan were not very favourably disposed towards Congress, they held Congress responsible for partition, partition was one of the biggest miscarriages, they attributed it to personal ambition of Nehru and Jinnah. They were kept away from voting rights, but they gave two PMs, Manmohan Singh and IK Gujral, Article 370 was misused, the lotus will bloom here," says Union Minister Jitendra Singh 

"This vote is not only important for me but for all Kashmiri people and the residents of Jammu and Kashmir. After 6 PM, Kashmiri voters will be powerless... Kashmiris, you have the opportunity until 6 PM today. This is not a normal election like other state elections. If you (people) want to come out of difficulties, you must think carefully and vote today so that we can tell the 140 crore people of India that Kashmir is not Modi's new Kashmir, and if a new Kashmir is to be built, it will be on our terms," said Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) President Sheikh Abdul Rashid.

 "This vote is not only important for me but for all Kashmiri people and the residents of Jammu and Kashmir. After 6 PM, Kashmiri voters will be powerless... Kashmiris, you have the opportunity until 6 PM today. This is not a normal election like other state elections. If you (people) want to come out of difficulties, you must think carefully and vote today so that we can tell the 140 crore people of India that Kashmir is not Modi's new Kashmir, and if a new Kashmir is to be built, it will be on our terms," says Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) President Sheikh Abdul Rashid.

 Security heightened as voters queue up outside a polling station to cast their votes in Udhampur in the third phase of Assembly election.

 Democratic Progressive Azad Party Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "My request to all voters is that you should reach your polling station along with your family and cast your vote...The biggest issue is unemployment and it is not just the issue of the youth, it is the issue of the entire society. For the last many years, no plan or program has been made for employment...Elections are fought on issues but no one raises the issues of the people. The voters of Jammu and Kashmir will form the government. Whoever they vote for will form the government."

 People queue up at a polling station in Udhampur to vote in the 3rd & final phase of the Assembly elections today.    

J&K: BJP candidate from Jammu North constituency Sham Lal Sharma said "This is the biggest festival of democracy. People in J&K have been waiting for Assembly elections for a long time. The long queues outside polling stations are proof that people want change in J&K. I am confident that the people in 24 seats in the Jammu province are going to break the voting records of the last several years...I request the voters to chose the best candidates..."

Congress candidate from Jammu East Yogesh Sawhney says, "Secularism will win and people will take revenge through their votes for the atrocities committed by the BJP in the last 10 years. Congress did not say that we will bring Article 370, but our demand will be that the youth of Jammu should get their jobs and their land should also be safe. Statehood should be restored. My appeal to the people is that we are fighting for the truth and I request people to go and vote and not sit at home..."

BJP candidate from Jammu North constituency Sham Lal Sharma casts his vote at a polling booth in Purkhoo Government School, Jammu.

People queue up at a polling station in Jammu to vote in the 3rd & final phase of the Assembly elections today.    

More than 39.18 lakh eligible voters are set to decide the electoral fate of 415 candidates, including two former deputy chief ministers Tara Chand and Muzaffar Baig.
 

People cast their vote at a polling station in Muslimabad, Bandipora as third phase of polling begins.

 Independent candidate Shoaib Nabi Lone is one of the first voters to cast his vote at a polling booth in Baramulla .

Democratic Progressive Azad Party Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad shows his inked finger after casting his vote at a polling station in Jammu for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections.

“Today is the third and last round of voting in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. I request all voters to come forward and cast their votes to make the festival of democracy a success. I am confident that apart from the young friends who are going to vote for the first time, women power will also participate in the voting in large numbers.”, said PM Modi in social media platform X

 Jammu: Democratic Progressive Azad Party Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "Elections are happening after 10 years, everyone knows that Article 370 and all other issues are there...The current issues of the last 10 years have to be resolved and I think according to me, the biggest issue is unemployment."

People enter a polling station in Jammu as voting begins for the 3rd & final phase of the Assembly elections today    Eligible voters in 40 constituencies across 7 districts of the UT are exercising their franchise today.

"Jammu and Kashmir needs a government that is visionary and can take strong decisions for security, peace and stability here. Today, the people voting here in the last phase should use their vote power to form a government that keeps Jammu and Kashmir away from terrorism, separatism, nepotism and corruption and is determined to protect the rights of every section. Cast a historic vote for tourism, education, employment and all-round development in Jammu and Kashmir.", Tweeted Amit Shah on X

Former JK CM Ghulam Nabi Azad to arrive shortly to cast his vote as polling for third and final phase to begin shortly. 

BJP candidate from Bahu assembly Constituency Vikram Randhawa offers prayers at the Bawe Wali Mata Mahakali Mandir ahead of the third phase of the assembly elections today. Congress has fielded Taranjit Singh Tony and PDP has Varinder Singh from this seat.

Over 39.18 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise at 5,060 polling stations in this crucial phase, covering 40 assembly segments in Jammu, Udhampur, Samba and Kathua in the Jammu region and Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara in north Kashmir.

Over 20,000 polling staff have been mobilised Monday across seven districts of Jammu and Kashmir on the eve of third and final phase of assembly elections which will decide the electoral fate of 415 candidates including two former deputy chief ministers Tara Chand and Muzaffar Beig, officials said.