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The second phase of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) witnessed a voter turnout of 46.12% by 3pm, according to the Election Commission of India. Reasi district led the individual districts with a polling percentage of 63.91%, followed by Poonch at 61.45% and Rajouri at 58.95%. Budgam recorded 49.44%, Ganderbal 61.45%, and Srinagar 22.62%.
Voting commenced at 7am on Wednesday across 26 constituencies spread over six districts in the Union Territory, with over 25 lakh eligible voters determining the fate of 239 candidates. A total of 25,78,099 lakh voters are eligible to cast their ballots, comprising 13,12,730 lakh male voters, 12,65,316 lakh female voters, and 53 third-gender voters.
Meanwhile, Congress MP and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi escalated his attack on the BJP-led central government, accusing them of stripping J&K of its statehood to facilitate governance by outsiders. Gandhi, addressing a public rally in Jammu, emphasized that while several union territories were transformed into states in India's history, J&K was the first state to be downgraded to a union territory after independence. He asserted that this move was an injustice to the people of J&K, depriving them of their democratic rights. He further criticized the BJP and J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, alleging that their actions favor outsiders at the expense of the local population.
Gandhi specifically targeted the alleged detrimental impact on Jammu's businesses and economy. He claimed that the BJP government and the Lieutenant Governor had undermined Jammu's role as a hub for Kashmir's businesses and production, leading to unemployment and a decline in small businesses. He argued that as long as the Lieutenant Governor remains in office, outsiders will reap the benefits, marginalizing the people of J&K. Gandhi attributed the revocation of statehood to the BJP's desire to control J&K through outsiders.
The last phase of the Assembly elections in J&K is scheduled for October 1, with the counting of votes taking place on October 8.
Source: 46.12% voter turn out in J-K till 3pm in second phase, Reasi leads with 63.91%