Union Minister Nitin Gadkari emphasized that the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are not about the victory of any political alliance but about ensuring the region's prosperity and peace.

Voters queued outside polling stations in India's Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday to vote in the first provincial election being held in a decade in the Himalayan region that has grappled with years of militant violence.

The Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir began on September 18, as scheduled by the Election Commission of India (ECI). This is the first election since 2019, when the constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir was altered by the abrogation of Article 370,

The assembly elections are being held in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir after a gap of 10 years. While the first phase of voting was conducted on September 18, the electorate is going to polls in the second phase on September 25.

The candidates submitted self-sworn affidavits with their nomination papers, adhering to the Commission's rules. These candidates are eligible to run for office as the law presumes individuals are innocent until proven guilty in court.

India’s troubled region of Jammu and Kashmir saw a brisk turnout amid tight security as voters cast their ballots on Wednesday in the first regional legislative elections in a decade. The region, which has seen years of separatist violence and is at the centre of a dispute between India and Pakistan,

On September 4, Rahul addressed multiple poll rallies in Jammu and Kashmir regions, where he claimed that the opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc had psychologically defeated Prime Minister Narendra Modi who “has lost the confidence of people of the country.”

In the first phase of Jammu and Kashmir’s assembly polls held on September 18, a voter turnout of over 61% was recorded, mirroring the 2014 elections. Kishtwar district led with an impressive 80% turnout.

The initial phase of Jammu and Kashmir's assembly elections concluded with a voter turnout of 58.85 per cent, with Kishtwar leading at 77 per cent and Pulwama trailing at just over 46 per cent. This election is significant as it is the first since Article 370 was revoked.