September 18, marks a significant day for Jammu and Kashmir as the first phase of assembly elections unfolds across 24 seats in six districts of the Union Territory. This election not only initiates a three-phase electoral process but also represents the first such exercise in the region in a decade.
Polling commenced at 7 AM and will continue until 6 PM, as per the Election Commission of India. This is the first election in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, making it a pivotal moment for the region.
In Kashmir, the constituencies participating in today’s voting include:
In the Jammu region, the constituencies are:
The last assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir was held in 2014. The coalition government formed by the PDP and BJP during that election was unable to complete its full term, as the BJP withdrew its support for former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2018. Since then, the region has been under central rule, making this election particularly significant.
A total of 219 candidates are contesting in this phase, with an impressive 2,327,580 eligible voters registered. To facilitate the voting process, approximately 14,000 polling staff will oversee operations at 3,276 polling stations.
Prominent candidates in the fray from Kashmir include:
In Jammu, key candidates include:
The Congress, National Conference, PDP, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), People’s Conference, and other parties are in the race.
As voters head to the polls today, the atmosphere is charged with anticipation. This election not only has the potential to reshape the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir but also to re-engage a populace eager for representation and stability after years of central governance.
Kolkata: On Friday, January 10, 2026, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha members demonstrated against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her actions after the ED raids at the I-PAC office and its chief Pratik Jain's home. | In relation to an alleged coal smuggling case that stretches back a few years, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) searched the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) office and Pratik Jain's home on Loudon Street in Kolkata on Thursday, January 8, 2025. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a protest against the ED raids on I-PAC after the raid set off a political storm in the state. Why is a chief minister endorsing Pratik Jain, and who is he? Pratik Jain, a political strategist and co-founder of I-PAC, is a graduate of IIT Bombay. He is credited with helping I-PAC grow into one of the most significant political consulting organizations in India. I-PAC was established in 2015 and offers services like data-driven campaign management, support for governance, and voter outreach initiatives. It has collaborated with a number of Indian political groups throughout the years, notably West Bengal's Trinamool Congress (TMC). I-PAC reportedly collaborates closely with Abhishek Banerjee, the national general secretary of the Trinamool Congress, and his office. The company oversees the IT and media division of the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC and is in charge of creating its election campaigns. Mr. Jain was in charge of the Trinamool Congress's IT cell, according to Ms. Banerjee. According to his LinkedIn page, Jain, an engineering graduate from IIT Bombay, started his career as an analyst at the consulting firm Deloitte. He was one of the first members of Citizens of Accountable Governance, which later evolved into I-PAC. Arvind Kejriwal, M.K. Stalin, Jaganmohan Reddy, Uddhav Thackeray, Rahul Gandhi, and Nitish Kumar are just a few of the prominent figures with whom the political consultancy firm has collaborated.…
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