People will vote in large numbers for J&K statehood restoration: Cong leader Mir

Anantnag, Sep 18 (PTI) Congress general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir on Wednesday said the people of Jammu and Kashmir will come out to vote in large numbers to seek restoration of statehood and their rights.

Mir, who is contesting the polls from the Dooru Assembly segment in this south Kashmir district, said the intent behind voting is to change “Delhi’s rule” in Jammu and Kashmir.

“I cast my vote intending to change Delhi’s rule on the people of J-K for the last 10 years. Today’s biggest aim is that J-K should prosper and the people feel happy,” Mir told PTI Videos after casting his vote.

He said through the power of the vote, the people of Jammu and Kashmir would seek the restoration of statehood and protection of their land and jobs.

“The people are going to vote to seek the restoration of their land and job rights as well as for the restoration of statehood, and I feel people will come out in large numbers to vote,” he said.

Voting began for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections on Wednesday morning, the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Twenty-four constituencies spread over seven districts of the Union Territory went to polls in Phase 1 amid tight security arrangements.

This is the maiden assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir in a Union Territory setup, also the first poll to elect an assembly in the last 10 years.

The Centre abrogated Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh — on August 5, 2019.

In the first phase of the three-phase polls, seven districts of Jammu and Kashmir, located on either side of the Pir Panjal mountain range, are voting to choose their representatives for the 24 assembly segments.

The other two phases are being held on September 25 and October 1, while the votes will be counted on October 8.