Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir saw a voter turnout of over 58 percent by 5 pm on Wednesday during the first phase of the assembly elections, officials reported.
According to an official, the voter turnout reached 58.19 percent by 5 pm, with long queues observed at polling stations.
These assembly elections, the first in the Union Territory after a 10-year gap, are being held in three phases. The second phase is scheduled for September 25, the final phase on October 1, and the vote counting will take place on October 8.
Over 23.27 lakh voters will decide the fate of 219 candidates. This phase covers 24 Assembly Constituencies (ACs) across seven districts: Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian, and Kulgam in the Kashmir division, and Doda, Ramban, and Kishtwar in Jammu.
Notably, 5.66 lakh youth voters and over 28,000 Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) are set to participate. A total of 3,276 polling stations, including 100% webcasting, have been established to ensure smooth and transparent voting.
