J&K assembly polls: Election officials head to polling stations in Ramban with EVMs

Ramban (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 17 (ANI): Polling parties of Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district on Tuesday left for their designated polling stations with electronic voting machines (EVMs) ahead of the first phase of polling on September 18.

Twenty-four assembly constituencies across the UT will go to polls in the first phase, scheduled for September 18.

Speaking to the Deputy District Election Officer of Ramban, Abdul Jabbar said their systems were functioning according to Election Commission Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs).

Deputy District Election Officer of Ramban, Abdul Jabbar, told ANI, “Today, on 17th September, all of our poll parties started leaving (for their respective polling stations) since 5 am…I can assure you that Ramban district will witness a good turnout tomorrow…Our system is functioning as per Election Commission SoPs. There is webcasting at every poll station of ours; cameras have been installed and we are monitoring every polling station from our control room.”

On Monday, Congress leader Pawan Khera said that the Congress-National Conference alliance will restore the right of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

“Jammu and Kashmir was a state whose rights were taken away, its statehood was taken away, it was made a Union Territory and it must get back this right. We will get back this right of Jammu and Kashmir,” Khera told ANI.

Khera also said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have made up their minds to defeat the BJP.

“If you look at the track record of Congress in the last ten years, be it Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, wherever we have formed governments we implemented our guarantees. People have faith in us,” Khera said.

BJP election in-charge for Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, Ram Madhav, said that a big change is expected in the upcoming polls and the National Conference, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party and Congress would be voted out of power by the people.

“Here a big change would be noticed. The three families NC, PDP and Congress who are trying to gather support will be voted out of power by the people,” Madhav said.

Assembly polls are being held in Jammu and Kashmir in three phases. The first phase of voting will be held on September 18, the second on September 25 and the third on November 1. Votes will be counted on October 8.