Voting for second phase of J&K assembly elections begins

Srinagar: Voting for the second phase of the assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir began on Wednesday, with nearly 2.5 million voters deciding the destiny of 239 candidates running for 26 seats, including former chief minister of the state Omar Abdullah, according to officials.

The voting began at 7 am across the 26 assembly constituencies amidst tight security arrangements, the officials said.

They said these assembly constituencies are spread over six districts -- three in the Valley and as many in the Jammu division.

The Election Commission of India has established 3,502 polling stations in these segments.

There are 1,056 urban polling stations and 2,446 rural polling stations, the officials said.

Security personnel comprising police, armed police and central armed paramilitary forces have been deployed in strength around the polling stations.

A multi-tier security blanket has been thrown around each polling station to ensure the voting for the second phase is held in an atmosphere free of fear, they added.

For this phase, 157 special polling stations have been established--- 26 'pink polling stations' managed by women, 26 polling stations manned by specially-abled persons, 26 polling stations manned by youths, 31 border polling stations, 26 green polling stations and 22 unique polling stations, the officials said.

During this phase, 93 candidates are in the fray in Srinagar district, followed by 46 in Budgam district, 34 in Rajouri district, 25 in Poonch district, 21 in Ganderbal district and 20 in Reasi district.

The constituencies in Srinagar district are Hazratbal, Khanyar, Habbakadal, Lal Chowk, Channapora, Zadibal, Central Shalteng and Eidgah.

The segments in Budgam district are Budgam, Beerwah, Khansahib, Chrar-I-Sharief and Chadoora, while there are two constituencies in Ganderbal district -- Kangan (ST) and Ganderbal.

The seats going to polls in Jammu division are Gulabgarh (ST), Reasi, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi (in Reasi district), Kalakote-Sunderbani, Nowshera, Rajouri (ST) (in Rajouri district), Budhal (ST), Thannamandi (ST), Surankote (ST), Poonch Haveli and Mendhar (ST) (Poonch district).

Key leaders whose fate will be determined in this phase include former chief minister Omar Abdullah, JKPCC president Tariq Hamid Karra and BJP J-K chief Ravinder Raina.

Abdullah is contesting from the Ganderbal and Budgam seats, while Karra is contesting from Central Shalteng.

Raina will be trying to retain his Nowshera seat in Rajouri district, which he won in the 2014 assembly polls.

Jailed religious cleric Sarjan Ahmad Wagay alias Barkati is hoping to repeat Engineer Rashid's Lok Sabha poll feat against the National Conference leader.

Barkati is contesting from the Beerwah and Ganderbal segments.

Popularly known as Rashid Engineer, Sheikh Abdul Rashid contested the parliamentary polls held earlier this year from Tihar jail and still managed to defeat Abdullah by a margin of more than two lakh votes from the Baramulla constituency.

Over 61 per cent of the electorate cast their ballots in the first phase of polling on September 18.

The third phase will go to polls on October 1.

The votes will be counted on October 8.

With PTI inputs