JAMMU : Security personnel stood guard as police and military vehicles escorted Monday over 20,000 officials to 5,060 polling stations across seven districts in J&K, with authorities pulling all stops to ensure a peaceful final phase of the three-set assembly elections Tuesday.
More than 39 lakh voters, including 1.94 lakh aged 18 to 19, are eligible to vote in this phase, which includes 40 assembly segments — 24 in Jammu region (Jammu, Udhampur, Samba, and Kathua districts) and 16 in north Kashmir (Baramulla, Bandipora, and Kupwara). Voter turnout in the previous phases was 61% on Sept 18 and 57% on Sept 26.
This phase is politically crucial, particularly the four Jammu districts — considered a BJP stronghold. In 2014, BJP won 25 seats — all from the Jammu region — and 18 of these victories came in Jammu, Udhampur, Samba, and Kathua. Of the 24 seats set for polling Tuesday, Jammu district accounts for 11, while Kathua has six, Udhampur four, and Samba three.
However, recent terrorist strikes and infiltration attempts from Pakistan in Kathua, Udhampur, and Samba have raised security concerns . Since May 4, J&K has seen 22 fatalities among security forces, including four in Kashmir and 18 in Jammu.
Kathua has seen multiple terrorist attacks and counteroffensives, resulting in casualties on both sides. J&K police head constable Bashir Ahmed was killed on Sept 28. Earlier, five Army soldiers died during an ambush in Badnota village on July 8, while two Pakistani terrorists and a CRPF constable were killed in Hiranagar tehsil on June 12.
Udhampur has also been a focal point of violence, with CRPF inspector Kuldeep Singh killed on Aug 19 and a village defence guard dying in Basantgarh on April 27. In Samba, two suspected Pakistani terrorists were shot dead by BSF guards during border crossing attempts on May 1 and Aug 1.
“We have made adequate arrangements for Tuesday’s final phase to prevent terrorist attacks or violence,” Jammu zone ADG Anand Jain assured Monday.
There are 415 candidates competing in this round. Notable candidates in Jammu division include former deputy CM Tara Chand (Chhamb), former ministers Raman Bhalla (RS Pura), Choudhary Lal Singh (Basohli), Rajiv Jasrotia (Jasrota), Manohar Lal Sharma (Billawar), Sham Lal Sharma, and Ajay Kumar Sadhotra (Jammu North). The fate of retired J&K bureaucrat Ashok Bhagat from the reserved Akhnoor constituency and former SSP Mohan Lal Bhagat, running as a BJP candidate, will be determined Tuesday. Satish Sharma, son of Congress MP Madan Lal Sharma, is contesting as an independent in Chhamb after being denied a party ticket.
In north Kashmir, candidates to watch include People’s Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone, contesting from two Kupwara constituencies, and former ministers Usman Majid (Bandipora), Nazir Ahmad Khan (Gurez), Taj Mohiuddin (Uri), Basharat Bukhari (Wagoora-Kreeri), Imran Ansari (Pattan), and Ghulam Hassan Mir (Gulmarg).
More than 39 lakh voters, including 1.94 lakh aged 18 to 19, are eligible to vote in this phase, which includes 40 assembly segments — 24 in Jammu region (Jammu, Udhampur, Samba, and Kathua districts) and 16 in north Kashmir (Baramulla, Bandipora, and Kupwara). Voter turnout in the previous phases was 61% on Sept 18 and 57% on Sept 26.
This phase is politically crucial, particularly the four Jammu districts — considered a BJP stronghold. In 2014, BJP won 25 seats — all from the Jammu region — and 18 of these victories came in Jammu, Udhampur, Samba, and Kathua. Of the 24 seats set for polling Tuesday, Jammu district accounts for 11, while Kathua has six, Udhampur four, and Samba three.
However, recent terrorist strikes and infiltration attempts from Pakistan in Kathua, Udhampur, and Samba have raised security concerns . Since May 4, J&K has seen 22 fatalities among security forces, including four in Kashmir and 18 in Jammu.
Kathua has seen multiple terrorist attacks and counteroffensives, resulting in casualties on both sides. J&K police head constable Bashir Ahmed was killed on Sept 28. Earlier, five Army soldiers died during an ambush in Badnota village on July 8, while two Pakistani terrorists and a CRPF constable were killed in Hiranagar tehsil on June 12.
Udhampur has also been a focal point of violence, with CRPF inspector Kuldeep Singh killed on Aug 19 and a village defence guard dying in Basantgarh on April 27. In Samba, two suspected Pakistani terrorists were shot dead by BSF guards during border crossing attempts on May 1 and Aug 1.
“We have made adequate arrangements for Tuesday’s final phase to prevent terrorist attacks or violence,” Jammu zone ADG Anand Jain assured Monday.
There are 415 candidates competing in this round. Notable candidates in Jammu division include former deputy CM Tara Chand (Chhamb), former ministers Raman Bhalla (RS Pura), Choudhary Lal Singh (Basohli), Rajiv Jasrotia (Jasrota), Manohar Lal Sharma (Billawar), Sham Lal Sharma, and Ajay Kumar Sadhotra (Jammu North). The fate of retired J&K bureaucrat Ashok Bhagat from the reserved Akhnoor constituency and former SSP Mohan Lal Bhagat, running as a BJP candidate, will be determined Tuesday. Satish Sharma, son of Congress MP Madan Lal Sharma, is contesting as an independent in Chhamb after being denied a party ticket.
In north Kashmir, candidates to watch include People’s Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone, contesting from two Kupwara constituencies, and former ministers Usman Majid (Bandipora), Nazir Ahmad Khan (Gurez), Taj Mohiuddin (Uri), Basharat Bukhari (Wagoora-Kreeri), Imran Ansari (Pattan), and Ghulam Hassan Mir (Gulmarg).
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