The election after a decade holds great significance to the newest union territories. Here’s a look at all you need to know about Phase 1 of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections and why it matters.
Key numbers in Phase 1
- People in J&K will vote for 24 assembly seats out of a total of 90 seats.
- Out of 24 seats, 8 are spread across three districts of Jammu region; 16 seats are in four of Kashmir valley districts
- A total of 219 candidates are in the fray including 90 independents
- Over 23 lakh electors are eligible to vote in Phase 1; 1.23 lakh youth between the age 18 to 19 years
- 14,000 polling staff will oversee the process at 3,276 polling stations to ensure smooth conduct of the polls
- High security includes multi-tier forces from the Central Armed Paramilitary Forces, Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police and J&K Police
Constituencies voting in Phase 1: Pampore, Tral, Pulwama, Rajpora, Zainapora, Shopian, DH Pora, Kulgam, Devsar, Dooru, Kokernag (ST), Anantnag West, Anantnag, Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Shangus-Anantnag East, Pahalgam, Inderwal, Kishtwar, Padder-Nagseni, Bhadarwah, Doda, Doda West, Ramban and Banihal
First election since the abrogation of Article 370
Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections hold significance as the region has experienced notable transformations in the last decade.This is the first election since the region lost its special status and statehood in 2019.
The abrogation of Article 370, which terminated its unique constitutional position and divided it into two union territories, has substantially influenced the area’s political dynamics. The delimitation process has led to redrawn constituencies and modified the reservation system for Scheduled Castes and Tribes, introducing significant changes to the region’s electoral framework.
These developments have had far-reaching consequences for Jammu and Kashmir’s political landscape, affecting representation and the balance of power among various communities. The impact of these changes on the region’s future electoral processes and governance remains to be seen as the newly formed union territories adapt to their altered status and the revised electoral arrangements.
Regional parties fight for existence
As the two union territories vote to send 90 representatives to its assembly, it becomes a high-stake battle for regional parties as they fight an existential battle. The regional parties, especially Abdullahs’ National Conference and Muftis’ Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), look to prove their relevance in the region despite a change in landscape over the last decade.
The two parties, though united by the same objective of restoration of special status to the region, remain rivals in this election.
In 2019, just after the revocation of Article 370 and its division into two union territories, a rare political consensus was formed among the NC, PDP, and other political forces which led to the formation of the Peoples’ Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD). In their August 4, 2019 declaration, party leaders pledged to reverse the decision of special provisions under Article 370 and Article 35-A of the Constitution.
Despite their initial unity, the PAGD parties struggled to maintain their alliance even in the 2020 District Development Council elections, with members contesting against each other in several seats in the Kashmir valley. The People’s Conference, citing a “breach of trust” against the NC for fielding proxies, left the alliance in 2021, followed by the Jammu & Kashmir People’s Movement (JKPM) in 2022.
The NC and PDP contested the 2024 general elections separately. In the run-up to the 2024 assembly elections, NC’s Omar Abdullah, who decided to go with Congress in a pre-poll alliance, claimed he never shut the door for an alliance with PDP. The two parties are also together as part of the opposition’s INDIA bloc at the Centre against the Modi government.
The litmus test for BJP, Congress looks to increase gain
The Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections will also be a litmus test for the BJP and its decision for the region. Since it is the first election after the abrogation of Article 370, the delimitation process and the change in statehood status, the results will be seen as a direct reflection of the move. The BJP, however, has promised to restore the statehood status soon after the elections.
In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, BJP won two of the five seats and 24.36 per cent vote share. The NC also got 2 seats with 22.30 per cent vote share and one seat went to Independent.
Earlier in 2019, BJP had won three of a total six seats with 46.67 per cent vote share.
Meanwhile, the other major national party, Congress also looks to maintain its Lok Sabha momentum in the assembly election as well. The party has tied up with NC in a pre-poll alliance as part of the INDIA bloc and will also engage in “friendly fights” in Banihal, Doda and Bhaderwah. The party, unlike its ally NC, has however refrained from saying anything on the restoration of Articles 370 but has promised statehood, if elected to power.
Key candidates in Phase 1
Prominent candidates include CPI (M)’s Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, AICC general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir, National Conference’s Sakina Itoo, and PDP’s Sartaj Madni and Abdul Rehman Veeri. PDP’s Iltija Mufti, running from Bijbehara, is in a triangular contest with NC’s Bashir Ahmad Veeri and BJP’s Sofi Mohammad Yousuf. Future of PDP’s Sartaj Madni (Devsar) and Abdul Rehman Veeri (Shangus-Anantnag) are also on line.
However, all eyes will be on Srigufwara-Bijbehara and Pulwama assembly segments where PDP’s Iltija Mufti and Waheed Para are contesting polls, respectively.
Iltija Mufti, the third generation politician from her family to run for office from Bijbehara, is in a triangular contest with NC’s Bashir Ahmad Veeri and BJP’s Sofi Mohammad Yousuf.
In Jammu region the big names in fray are Sajjad Kitchloo (NC), Khalid Najid Suharwardy (NC) Vikar Rasool Wani (Congress), Abdul Majid Wani (DPAP), Sunil Sharma (BJP), Shakti Raj Parihar (Doda west) and Ghulam Mohammad Saroori.
Former MLA Daleep Singh Parihar (BJP), former MLC Firdous Tak and Imtiyaz Shan (PDP), NC’s Pooja Thakur who is sitting chairperson of district development council Kishtwar, BJP’s young face Shagun Parihar, whose father Ajit Parihar and uncle Anil Parihar were killed by terrorists in November 2018, and Mehraj din Malik of AAP are among other prominent faces in the fray.
Even as the National Conference (NC) and the Congress are in alliance, both the parties have fielded candidates in Banihal, Bhaderwah and Doda under ‘friendly contest’, while a rebel NC leader Pyare Lal Sharma is fighting as an independent from Inderwal and two BJP rebels, Rakesh Goswami and Suraj Singh Parihar, are also trying their luck from Ramban and Padder-Nagseni constituencies.
(With agency inputs)