J&K assembly election phase 2: Polling underway in 26 constituencies

Srinagar: The second phase of voting in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections began at 7 am on Wednesday, covering 26 assembly constituencies. Over 2.5 million voters are set to decide the fate of 239 candidates, including former Chief Minister of the erstwhile state, Omar Abdullah, according to officials.

The 26 constituencies are spread across six districts – three in the Valley and three in the Jammu division. The Election Commission of India has established 3,502 polling stations across these constituencies, with 1,056 located in urban areas and 2,446 in rural locations, officials said.

Security arrangements are strengthened in these constituencies with police, armed police, and central armed paramilitary forces deployed in large numbers around polling stations. A multi-layered security blanket has been set up at each polling station to ensure voting in the second phase is conducted in an atmosphere free from fear, officials added.

For this phase, 157 special polling stations have been established--- 26 'pink polling stations' managed by women, 26 polling stations manned by specially-abled persons, 26 polling stations manned by youths, 31 border polling stations, 26 green polling stations and 22 unique polling stations, the officials said. Voting will end at 6 pm.

During this phase, 93 candidates are in the fray in Srinagar district, followed by 46 in Budgam district, 34 in Rajouri district, 25 in Poonch district, 21 in Ganderbal district and 20 in Reasi district. The constituencies in Srinagar district are Hazratbal, Khanyar, Habbakadal, Lal Chowk, Channapora, Zadibal, Central Shalteng and Eidgah.

The segments in Budgam district are Budgam, Beerwah, Khansahib, Chrar-I-Sharief and Chadoora, while there are two constituencies in Ganderbal district -- Kangan (ST) and Ganderbal. The seats going to polls in Jammu division are Gulabgarh (ST), Reasi, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi (in Reasi district), Kalakote-Sunderbani, Nowshera, Rajouri (ST) (in Rajouri district), Budhal (ST), Thannamandi (ST), Surankote (ST), Poonch Haveli and Mendhar (ST) (Poonch district).

Key leaders whose fate will be determined in this phase include former chief minister Omar Abdullah, JKPCC president Tariq Hamid Karra and BJP J-K chief Ravinder Raina. Abdullah is contesting from the Ganderbal and Budgam seats, while Karra is contesting from Central Shalteng. Raina will be trying to retain his Nowshera seat in Rajouri district, which he won in the 2014 assembly polls.

Jailed religious cleric Sarjan Ahmad Wagay alias Barkati is hoping to repeat Engineer Rashid's Lok Sabha poll feat against the National Conference leader. Barkati is contesting from the Beerwah and Ganderbal segments.

Popularly known as Rashid Engineer, Sheikh Abdul Rashid contested the parliamentary polls held earlier this year from Tihar jail and still managed to defeat Abdullah by a margin of more than two lakh votes from the Baramulla constituency. Over 61 per cent of the electorate cast their ballots in the first phase of polling on September 18. The third phase will go to polls on October 1. The votes will be counted on October 8.
(With PTI Inputs)