J&K Elections Phase 1: 24 Seats, 219 Candidates | Key Battles to Watch Out For

Srinagar: The stage is set for the first phase of polling in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, where the fate of candidates across seven districts will be sealed. Over 23 lakh voters will cast their ballots for 219 candidates, including 90 independents, across 24 assembly segments—eight in three districts of the Jammu region and 16 in four districts of the Kashmir valley. 

The Election Commission (EC) reported that 23,27,580 electors are eligible to vote in phase 1, comprising 11,76,462 male, 11,51,058 female, and 60 third-gender electors.

"As the first phase of voting will take place on September 18, Jammu and Kashmir police have made elaborate security arrangements for the assembly polls so that maximum number of people can exercise their right to vote," Inspector General of Police Kashmir Zone VK Birdi said.

List of Constituencies Going to Polls

1. Pampore
2. Tral
3. Pulwama
4. Rajpora
5. Zainapora
6. Shopian
7. DH Pora
8. Kulgam
9. Devsar
10. Dooru
11. Kokernag (ST)
12. Anantnag West
13. Anantnag
14. Srigufwara-Bijbehara
15. Shangus-Anantnag East 
16. Pahalgam
17. Inderwal
18. Kishtwar
19. Padder-Nagseni
20. Bhadarwah
21. Doda
22. Doda West
23. Ramban
24. Banihal

Key Candidates and Constituencies

Among the prominent candidates in the first phase of polling are Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami from CPI (M), AICC general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Sakina Itoo from the National Conference, and PDP’s Sartaj Madni and Abdul Rehman Veeri.

Iltija Mufti, daughter of former Chief Minister and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, is also in race in Srigufwara-Bijbehara against NC’s Bashir Ahmad Veeri and BJP ’s Sofi Mohammad Yousuf. This constituency is part of the Rajouri-Anantnag Lok Sabha seat.

Tarigami is vying for his fifth consecutive term from the Kulgam assembly segment. Ghulam Ahmad Mir, AICC general secretary, is seeking his third term from Dooru. Sakina Itoo from NC aims for another term from Damhal Hajipora. PDP’s Sartaj Madni is contesting from Devsar, while Abdul Rehman Veeri is running from Shangus-Anantnag.

PDP’s youth wing leader Waheed Para is contesting in the Pulwama assembly segment. Para, who is accused in a terror case, faces a tough challenge from his former party colleague Mohammad Khalil Bandh, now representing NC. The contest is further complicated by the entry of Talat Majid Alie, a former member of Jamaat-e-Islami. Tarigami also faces competition from Sayar Ahmad Reshi.

In Jammu, where BJP and Congress are the dominant parties, key candidates include former ministers Sajjad Kitchloo (NC) and Khalid Najid Suharwardy (NC), Vikar Rasool Wani (Congress), Abdul Majid Wani (DPAP), Sunil Sharma (BJP), Shakti Raj Parihar (Doda West), and Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, a three-time MLA running as an independent after being denied a DPAP ticket.

Other notable contenders are former MLA Daleep Singh Parihar ( BJP ), former MLC Firdous Tak, Imtiyaz Shan (PDP), NC’s Pooja Thakur, BJP’s emerging leader Shagun Parihar, and Mehraj din Malik from AAP. Pooja Thakur, who is the current chairperson of the district development council of Kishtwar, and Shagun Parihar, whose family has been affected by terrorist violence, are significant figures in this election.

For the unversed, NC and Congress have formed an alliance but are contesting against each other in Banihal, Bhaderwah, and Doda. Additionally, Pyare Lal Sharma, a rebel NC leader, is running as an independent from Inderwal, while BJP rebels Rakesh Goswami and Suraj Singh Parihar are contesting from Ramban and Padder-Nagseni, respectively.