Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Polls: 56% Voter Turnout in Peaceful Second Phase

On Wednesday, over 56% of voters participated in the second phase of polling for 26 seats in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. Officials reported that the polling proceeded peacefully.

P K Pole, the Chief Electoral Officer of Jammu and Kashmir, announced a tentative turnout of 56.05%. He noted that this figure could change as voting continued in areas like Hazratbal and Reasi. Pole emphasized the overall peaceful nature of the polling, mentioning that while there were minor incidents such as arguments, no areas required a re-poll.

In a notable development, a 16-member delegation of foreign envoys visited the valley to observe the elections, marking a rare instance of international observers being present for elections in Jammu and Kashmir since the onset of insurgency. This move, however, sparked criticism from former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who asserted that the elections in Jammu and Kashmir are an internal issue for India and should not involve foreign scrutiny.