Guv approves notification for 5-phase polls
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Setting the poll process in motion, notification for the first phase of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be issued tomorrow.
The Election Commission on Saturday decided to go ahead with holding Assembly polls in flood-devastated Jammu and Kashmir and announced a five-phased schedule between 23th November and 20th December.
Polling will take place on 25th November, 2nd, 9th, 14th and 20th December.
“The notification for the first phase will be issued tomorrow (Tuesday),” a senior officer of J and K Election Department said.
The first phase of polling will cover 15 Assembly segment spread across seven districts of Bandipora, Ganderbal of Kashmir Valley, Kargil, Leh of Ladakh region, Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban of Jammu region on 25th November.
The last date for filing nominations is 5th November and that of withdrawal is 10th November 10. The date of counting of votes has been fixed for 23rd December this year.
The Assembly constituencies of Gurez, Bandipora, Sonawari, Kangan, Ganderbal, Nobra, Leh, Kargil, Zanskar, Kishtwar, Inderwal, Doda, Bhaderwah, Ramban and Banihal will go to election in first phase.
Congress and NC had bagged seven seats each while PDP took one seat in 2008 Assembly polls.
Nine each assembly seats in Kashmir and Jammu regions will be going to polls in the second phase on 2nd December. Of these, maximum of six are in Udhampur, five in Baramulla, four in Anantnag and three in Jammu.
The notification for the second phase will be issued on 7th November with date of polling 2nd December.
The third phase, for which polling will be held on 9th December, will cover remaining seven seats of Baramulla Parliamentary constituency, five seats in Budgam of central Kashmir and four from Anantnag.
The fourth phase, for which notification will be issued on 19th November and polling held on 14th December, will cover nine assembly seats of prestigious Srinagar city, seven remaining seats of Anantnag and two from Jammu parliamentary seat.
Five seats of Udhampur Parliamentary seat and 15 of Jammu area, covering the nine assembly seats of Jammu city, will go to polls in the final phase on 20th December.
The current six-year term of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly ends on 19th January.
Meanwhile, as recommended by the Chief Election Commission of India, Governor, N.N Vohra, approved the issuance of the notifications for the conduct of five phase General Elections to J and K Legislative Assembly-2014, commencing on 25th November, 2014.