HIMANI KANDHARI
Jammu & Kashmir is one of the diverse states in India represented by 5 six seats in the Lok Sabha. Earlier, Ladakh was also considered one of the constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir until its recognition as separate Union territory in 2019. The current estimated population of J&K is approximately 1.56 crore where there are 8.69 million voters in Jammu & Kashmir.
Baramulla, Srinagar, Anantnag, Udhampur, Jammu are the 5 constituencies in the state. BJP, Congress, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (JKPDP), Communist Party of India (CPI(M)), Democratic Progressive Azad Party ( DPAP ) are some of the major political parties that contest to win a seat from the state. For the Lok Sabha elections BJP has fielded Dr Jitendra Singh from Udhampur and Jugal Kishore Sharma from Jammu. Both the NDA and JKNC are likely to contest independently from all 5 seats. After 15 years, the Udhampur Lok Sabha seat in Jammu and Kashmir is headed for a keen contest, with prominent leaders in the fray from the BJP and Congress. Both Jitendra Singh of the BJP, a Union Minister of State, and Choudhary Lal Singh of the Congress are two-time MPs from the seat. While Jitendra Singh has won the seat the past two times (2014 and 2019) by big margins, it was won twice previously by Lal Singh (2004 and 2009). ” There should be 100% voting. If Narendra Modi become Prime Minister for the third time, then I want to appeal to him that we should think about the general category, who are already available struggling”, Manik Goswami student of Law Department, JU. Sarfraz Ahmad student University of Jammu ” Voting is our fundamental right . Youth should read manifesto of every political party and then decide where to cast their vote. Even media is controlled by higher officials and we want that media should also put our demands in front of Government “. Vaishali Sharma, student Botany Department, JU : I belong to Nowshera which is in district Rajouri and our polling constituency is Anantnag-Rojouri Lok Sabha constituency , I am very excited to cast the first vote of my life and I am aware of all the candidates of my area and know where to cast my vote. Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a healthy elections. This is the first elections in Jammu and Kashmir after Article 370 was abrogated by the Centre in 2019. The Jammu-Reasi seat comprises 18 Assembly segments and nine segments crossed 70% polling, with Akhnoor recording 74.03%, Bishnah 71.33%, Chhamb 71.06%, Gulabgarh 71.47%, Marh 73%, Nagrota 71.39%, Reasi 71.65%, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi 74.65%, and Vijaypur 75.67%. Peaceful and brisk polling was recorded in the Jammu-Reasi Lok Sabha seat in Jammu and Kashmir, which has nine Assembly segments adjacent to the International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC), and clocked 71.91% polling on April 19. The Jammu-Reasi seat comprises 18 Assembly segments and nine segments crossed 70% polling, with Akhnoor recording 74.03%, Bishnah 71.33%, Chhamb 71.06%, Gulabgarh 71.47%, Marh 73%, Nagrota 71.39%, Reasi 71.65%, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi 74.65%, and Vijaypur 75.67%. The Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency in Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a massive participation of voters from all sections of society on Friday as it recorded 65.08% voter turnout by 5 p.m. Amid multi-tier security arrangements, ‘Nari Shakti’ (women power) was on display at the all-women staffed booths known as ‘pink booths’, in the Jammu and Kashmir Lok Sabha elections. These ‘pink booths’ attracted more women voters.
The Anantnag constituency, which spreads across the Pir Panjal range and includes Rajouri and Poonch areas after delimitation, the constituency was scheduled to go to polls in the third phase on May 7 in the third phase which is deferred to May 25. The commission after considering report from the UT administration as well as analyzing the ground situation prevailing in the constituency, has decided under Section 56 of Representation of People Act, 1951, to revise the date of poll in the said Parliamentary Constituency in respect of ongoing General Election to Lok Sabha, 2024. For the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat in the Kashmir region, polling will be held in the fourth phase on May 13. While the notification will be issued on April 18, the last date for nomination filing is April 25. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is April 29. After delimitation, Pulwama and Shopian districts have been added to the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency while two assembly segments — Budgam and Beerwah — have been deleted. Baramulla constituency in north Kashmir will go to polls on May 20 in the fifth phase of elections. The notification will be issued on April 26 while May 3 will be the last date for filing nominations. The last date for withdrawal of candidature will be May 6. The Ladakh Lok Sabha seat spread over Kargil and Leh districts will go to polls in the fifth phase of polls.
The five Lok Sabha seats that will be for polling in Lok Sabha elections 2024 in five phases are: Baramulla, Srinagar, Anantnag-Rajouri, Udhampur and Jammu. In Jammu and Kashmir, Phase 1 voting was on April 19, voting for Phase 2 was held on April 26, Phase 3 voting will be held on May 25, Phase 4 voting will be held on May 13 and voting in Phase 5 will be on May 20. The votes polled in the Jammu & Kashmir Lok Sabha elections 2024 will be counted on June 4 with the rest of the Lok Sabha constituencies of India. The Lok Sabha elections 2024 is being held in 7 phases from April 19 to June 1, announced Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.
(The article is written by a student of 4th Semester, Journalism and Mass Communication University of Jammu).