J&K chief electoral officer lauds stakeholders for successful conclusion of polls

Jammu, Oct 8 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) P K Pole on Tuesday lauded all stakeholders for the successful conclusion of the assembly elections in the Union Territory.

Assembly elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir after a decade and were the first since the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution were abrogated and the erstwhile state divided into two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in 2019.

National Conference-Congress coalition swept the polls winning 48 seats, while the BJP emerged as the second largest party with 29 seats at the end of counting for 90 Assembly seats on Tuesday. Seven seats were won by Independents, three went to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and one each to the CPI(M), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Peoples Conference.

“Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections have concluded successfully, marking a significant moment in the UT’s democratic process. This marked the first assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir since 2014, drawing considerable attention and participation from the public,” Pole said in a statement here.

He said the record-breaking voter turnout has re-asserted and re-affirmed the faith of the public in the institutions of democracy, exhibiting and testifying explicitly the “unwavering belief” of masses in the power of ballot.

The elections were held in three phases, with 24 constituencies voting in the first phase on September 18, followed by 26 in the second on September 25 and 40 in the third on October 1. A total of 873 candidates contested in the 90-member legislative assembly.

The voter turnout was robust, reflecting a renewed enthusiasm for democratic engagement in the region, the CEO said.

He extended his gratitude to the district election officers (DEOs) and their subordinates, more than 75000 polling staff, security personnel and others involved in the electoral process.