Srinagar Oct 3 ( KINS) : Jammu and Kashmir recorded 63.88 per cent voters in the overall election cycle, the Election Commission of India said in a statement on Thursday.
The EC statement came after the third and final phase of elections concluded in the Union Territory.
Noting the total voter turnout for the final phase of polls in Jammu and Kashmir, the Election Commission of India revealed that 69.69 per cent citizens cast their votes before the elections wrapped up.
Of this, 69.37 per cent of male turn out was recorded whereas 70.02 per cent of females voted in the final phase. A 43.86 per cent third party voters cast their ballot in phase three of Jammu and Kashmir polls.
“Voter turnout of 69.69 per cent has been recorded at polling stations in phase-3 for 40 ACs in the J&K assembly elections 2024 with rate of female turnout surpassing male turnout,” read the statement released by the Election Commission.
The third and final phase of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir took place on Tuesday, with a turnout of 68.72%.
This phase saw the highest voter participation, compared to 61.38% in the first phase and 57.31% in the second. Overall, the turnout across all three phases reached 63.45%.
Key concerns among voters included unemployment, lack of development, high electricity bills, and the detention of loved ones.
Voting occurred in 40 constituencies—24 in the Jammu Division and 16 in the Kashmir Valley—across seven districts of the Union Territory.
This election was the first in a decade and marked the first since the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35(A) as well as the delimitation process, which increased the total number of assembly seats to 90, with 43 allocated to Jammu and 47 to Kashmir.
The security situation in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has seen notable improvement since the last assembly elections in 2014, leading to strong voter turnout in many parts of the Kashmir region, according to official sources.
A report from the Times of India indicates that terror-related incidents have decreased to one-tenth of what they were a decade ago. This year’s assembly elections, the first since the removal of Article 370 and J&K’s reorganization into a Union Territory in 2019, have been marked by peaceful voting in several areas of Kashmir, as confirmed by an official.
While the Kashmir Valley saw encouraging voter participation, turnout in most of the Jammu division has fallen compared to 2014. Officials suggest that this decline may be linked to a recent rise in terror activities in the region.
As of September 27, there were 15 terror-related attacks and encounters that resulted in the deaths of 11 civilians and 17 security personnel in Jammu.
J&K records 63.88% overall voter turnout, 69.69% citizens cast ballot in final phase
