23.27 lakh electors eligible to vote for 219 candidates; poll parties dispatched for 3276 Polling Stations across 7 districts

STATE TIMES NEWS

JAMMU: The Polling for the first phase of General Elections to Legislative Assembly for the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir is scheduled for September 18 in 24 Assembly Constituencies.
As many as 3276 polling stations have been set up for polling to be held in Pampore, Tral, Pulwama, Rajpora, Zainapora, Shopian, DH Pora, Kulgam, Devsar, Dooru, Kokernag (ST), Anantnag West, Anantnag, Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Shangus-Anantnag East, Pahalgam, Inderwal, Kishtwar, Padder-Nagseni, Bhadarwah, Doda, Doda West, Ramban and Banihal Assembly Constituencies.
In the first phase, there are 3276 polling stations across 7 districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar. These include 302 Urban Polling Stations and 2974 Rural Polling Stations.Four election staff, including Presiding Officer will be stationed in every polling station. In total, more than 14,000 Polling staff will be deployed on dutyfor 1st phase election.

J&K polls: 40 pc Independents in fray

SRINAGAR: More than 40 per cent of the 908 candidates contesting the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are Independents.
These are the first assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir since the 2019 abrogation of Article 370 and its reorganisation into two Union territories.
The number of assembly seats has also risen from the earlier 87 to 90 — 47 in the Kashmir Valley and 43 in Jammu — following a delimitation exercise in 2022.
A total 365 candidates have filed their nominations as Independent candidates to contest the three-phase polls.
This is the second highest number of Independents to contest the polls in Jammu and Kashmir. In the 2008 assembly elections, held in the immediate aftermath of the Amarnath land row agitation that left dozens dead and hundreds injured, 468 candidates had contested as Independents.
The total number of candidates this time is also the second highest ever. In 2008, a whopping 1,353 candidates had contested the elections. In 2014, the last time assembly elections were held in the erstwhile state, 831 candidates had contested the elections. Of the total, 274 had contested as Independents.
This time, there are 367 candidates for the 43 seats going to the polls in the Jammu division, where the BJP has a strong base, while 541 are slugging it out for 47 seats in the Valley.
On an average, there are five Independent candidates for each of the 47 assembly segments in Kashmir. This number drops to 2.93 per constituency in the Jammu division.
The Sopore assembly segment — once a hotbed for militancy and the epicentre of election boycott campaigns in Kashmir — has the highest number of Independent and total candidates.
There are 22 aspirants in the fray, 14 of whom are Independents.
The Sonawari segment in Bandipora district has 20 candidates in the fray, including 11 Independents. The area has a strong presence of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami. Amid this glut, there are four constituencies where there are zero Independent candidates. These are Budhal, Kangan, Ramangar and Srigufwara-Bijbehara.
The Srigufwara-Bijbehara seat in Anantnag district has three candidates in the fray. Doda West, Nowshera and Ramgarh each have one Independent candidate..
There are 15 candidates in the fray in the Ganderbal segment.
The three-phase elections to the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will be held on September 18, September 25 and October 1. The results will be declared on October 8.

A total of 23,27,580 electors are eligible to vote during the Phase 1 of the J&K Assembly Elections, including 11,76,462 male electors, 11,51,058 female electors and 60 Third Gender Electors. As many as 1.23 lakh youth between the age 18-19 years, along with 28,309 Person with Disabilities (PwDs) and 15,774 elderly voters above the age of 85 are also eligible to exercise their franchise in phase one.
The voting will take place from 7.00 am to 6.00 pm and before that there will be mock poll in the polling stations in presence of the polling agents. Also, the voting will continue even after 6.00 pm, if voter’s queue is still there in the Polling Station premises to exercise their right to vote.
Every polling station will be provided with Assured Minimum Facilities (AMF’s) like drinking water, electricity, toilet, ramp, furniture, verandah/shed besides wheel chairs will also be provided to the needy. The ballot unit will also have a list of contesting candidates in brail script. Where ever required, there will be separate queues for senior citizens and specially- abled persons facilitating them with early polling. Additionally, there will be a voter help desk, manned by the concerned Booth Level Officer (BLO), to extend necessary help whenever required.
There will be 24 polling booths managed by women, known as Pink Polling Stations, 24 polling stations manned by specially abled persons and 24 polling stations manned by youths. Also, there will be 24 green polling stations in order to spread message about environmental concern and 17 Unique Polling stations. The purpose behind these special polling stations is to spread awareness among sections of society like women, specially abled, first time young voters to come forward and exercise their right to vote.
Till date more than 75,000 plants have been planted in the premises of all polling stations.
In order to facilitate voters in identification and also to increase voter turnout ratios, all voters have been provided with voter information slips. It is a simple black and white printed piece of paper with information like Polling Station name, date & time of poll, serial number of voter in the list, his full name, QR code but NOT the photograph of the voter. Hence, Voter Information Slips will not be allowed as proof of the identity of voters. Proof of identity will be any documents out of 12 documents, including EPIC. The BLO concerned has distributed 100% voter information slips. The citizens can also view details of the Polling Station, Parliamentary Constituency, and get the contact details of the Booth Level Officer, Electoral Registration Officer among other services, through Voter Helpline App (VHA), available on the Google Play store and Apple App Store.
Electoral Photo Identification Card (EPIC) card of all those voters who have enrolled as fresh voters or has changed their particulars through form no 8, during recently held Special Summary Roll (SSR) in the month of July- August, have been dispatched by speed post. Without waiting for receipt of these EPIC cards, they can come to polling stations with any one out of 12 IDs, the ECI has allowed for as alternate document for voter identification at Assembly Election.
In addition to Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC), 12 types of documents will also be allowed to verify a voter and aid him in voting. It is pertinent to mention here that EPIC card is NOT mandatory for voting. If some voter has misplaced his/ her EPIC card, any of the following documents can be used by him at the Polling Station and after verification.
The documents required include Aadhaar Card, MGNREGA Job Card, passbooks with photograph issued by Bank/Post Office, Health Insurance Smart Card issued under the scheme of the Ministry of Labour, Driving License, PAN Card, Smart Card issued by RGI under NPR, Indian Passport, pension document with photograph, Service Identity Cards with photograph issued to employees by Central/State Govt/PSUs/Public Limited Companies, official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs and Unique Disability ID (UDID) Card, issued by M/o Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India
With the aim of spreading awareness among the voters, Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) emerges as a comprehensive programme aimed at reinforcing voter education and promoting active participation in democratic process. The need for SVEEP arises from the Election Commission of India’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the participation of every voter in this monumental celebration of democracy. During the last few months, through various modes, SVEEP activities were undertaken in every nook and corner. Various activities like appeal messages in print, electronic and social media, through hoardings, banners, radio jingles etc were carried out. Street plays, use of social media influencers and icons, adventure and indigenous sport activities, along with plantation drives, painting and debate competitions were also done. Because of all these, the voter turnout is expected to be higher than the last Assembly elections.
Similarly, to ensure accessible and inclusive elections, Home Voting has been held for Persons with Disability with more than 40% benchmark disability as well as for elderly electors above the age of 85 years, for all those who had applied for the same.
More than 1600 journalists and cameramen of print, electronic and social media platforms have been provided with requisite pass to cover the polling process. Without compromising secrecy of vote and causing any inconvenience to the democratic exercise, they can cover the polling. Detailed instructions have been given to the journalists on the pass.
The Voter Turnout App will be used to display estimated provisional voter turnout details of each Assembly Constituency entered by the RO. The media can also use the same application to capture estimated voter turnout data. Approximate voter turnout data of each phase of the elections will be displayed through this app. There will be two hourly reporting of voting percentage from 9.00 am to the end of poll. The concerned ARO and RO will share the data with media accordingly. The updated figures shall also be placed in voter turnout app. These figures are always subject to, normally upward correction as the final confirmed figures are collected after receiving the statutory forms from all Polling Stations. So till these final figures are known, figures on Voter Turnout App are to be always tentative.
All 100 % Polling stations, (3276) in the 24 Assembly Constituencies will have CCTV type cameras for live webcasting to control rooms established at District and CEO office. Cameras will be positioned in such a way so that they don’t violate the secrecy of vote.
There are few polling stations which falls in communication shadow areas. Suitable alternate arrangements in the communication shadow areas by providing Satellite Phones, Wireless sets, and Special Runners etc have been put in place. All vehicles being used in election, have been enabled with vehicle tracking system (GPS).
Candidates/ Political parties who need to obtain prior permission for campaigning purposes, can seek online permission on Suvidha app and Portal. Till date election officers have accorded permission for 2350 applications and rejected 363.
In the entire Union territory, from the date of announcement of Elections, material/cash of around Rs 123.45 Crore has been seized. These include cash, liquor, drugs and other freebees seized by Police Department valuing Rs 115.23 Crore, SGST/CT Department valuing Rs 5.29 crore, Narcotics Control Bureau valuing Rs 1.98 Crore, Excise Departmentvaluing Rs 35.69 Lakhs and Income Tax Department valuing Rs 26.01 Lakhs.
The public campaigning in all 24 Assembly Constituencies going to polls in Phase 1 has conclude at 6.00 PM on 16 September, 48 hours before the closing poll hour, also known as the silence period or pre-election silence. All campaign-related activity is supposed to be halted and no one, including citizens, journalists, politicians, would be allowed to partake in any election campaign related activity during this 48-hour-long silence period.
Holding public meetings, conferences, interviews has been stopped to give the voters a peaceful break from being influenced by campaigns so that they may make a considered decision while voting. Besides, political advertisement in print media can only be done only after prior clearance from Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC). Sale of liquor, even from the licensed shops, has also been banned.
To monitor various election related activities and also check MCC compliance, a Command and Control Room has been established at the office of CEO J&K in Jammu and Srinagar. Similar mini control rooms have also been set up at every DEO office which are functioning 24 x 7. All electronic media channels, social media platforms are monitored here, any violation so detected, is reported and the concerned RO/ ARO issues notice. Apart from looking for MCC violation, the Control room gets live feed from more than 100% Polling Stations and GPS vehicle tracking of all vehicles being used for poll parties.
As per the latest instructions of Election Commission of India, Special Polling Stations have been established for Migrant Voters of Kashmir Division. Total 24 special Polling Stations have been established for Migrant Voters of Kashmir Division, which includes 19 Special Polling Stations in Jammu, 4 in Delhi and 1 in Udhampur District. Special Polling Station-wise extract voter list will be with BLOs. Like all other normal polling stations, these polling stations will also have all basic facilities for voter.
The Chief Electoral Officer, J&K UT, has appealed the eligible electorates to participate in the festival of democracy by utilizing their right to vote for which the election authorities and the local administrations have put in place all necessary arrangements.
“The Election Commission of India is committed to provide all basic facilities on 100% polling stations and give better experience to voters. Voters are requested to participate in the maximum number in all-inclusive election of J&K Legislative Assembly” he said.