Election Commission Announces Poll Schedule for Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir
- Election Commission of India announces schedule for legislative assemblies in multiple states.
- Jammu and Kashmir to vote in 3 phases starting Sept 18, Haryana in single phase on Oct 1.
- Results for all states to be declared on Oct 4.
The Election Commission of India has unveiled the schedule for the upcoming assembly elections in Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir, as announced by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar during a press conference in New Delhi. Jammu & Kashmir will conduct its elections in three phases, with the first phase set for September 18, followed by the second on September 25, and the final phase on October 1. The counting of votes for both regions will take place on October 4. In Jammu & Kashmir, a total of 90 assembly constituencies will be contested, comprising 74 general seats, 7 reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC), and 9 for Scheduled Tribes (ST). The first phase will include regions such as Pulwama, Anantnag, and Shopian, while the second phase will cover Srinagar and Ganderbal. The final phase will see elections in north Kashmir, Udhampur, Jammu, and Kathua, marking a significant electoral event for the Union Territory. This election marks the first assembly polls in Jammu & Kashmir since 2014, following a prolonged period under President's rule. The last assembly election was held a decade ago, and the political landscape shifted dramatically when the PDP-BJP coalition government collapsed in June 2018. Recently, a delegation from the Election Commission, led by Rajiv Kumar, conducted a review of the electoral preparations in the region, underscoring the importance of these upcoming elections.