NEW DELHI, Sept 18 (KUNA) -- The first phase of Legislative Assembly Elections in Jammu and Kashmir being held for the first time since abrogation of the special status of the state witnessed high voter turn out, media reports said on Wednesday. The Press Trust of India said that men, women, young and old stood in queues at several polling stations across the state as people came out to elect 24 Members of Legislative Assembly out of 90 in the first phase.
The voting started at 7 AM and concluded at 6 PM with an unprecedented voter out of 58.19% by 5 PM as 2.3 millions are eligible to vote in the troubled state. Around 219 candidates representing different national and local political parties and 90 independents are contesting in the first phase. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, opposition leader in Parliament Rahul Gandhi, the opposition Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge urged people of Kashmir to come forward and exercise their right to vote in order to bring change to their lives. The elections were held under tight security cover as thousands of personnel from the police, military and para military were deployed across the state. The second and third phases of elections are due on September 25 and October 1 respectively and counting and result announcement are expected on October 8. Modi government had abrogated in 2019 Article 370 of the Indian Constitution granting special status to the Muslim dominated state triggering widespread protests from within and without the country. It had also led to massive arrests, clamp down of freedom of expression, media and restrictions of movement in the state. (end) atk.rk