Srinagar: The second phase of the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly elections witnessed an impressive voter turnout, with 36.93% of eligible voters casting their ballots by 1pm, according to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), JK.
Polling is being conducted across 26 assembly constituencies spread over six districts of the union territory. The high voter engagement comes as polling picks up momentum, with voters from both rural and urban areas actively participating in the democratic process.
Earlier, a 15-member foreign delegation made a surprise landing in Kashmir amid second phase of the polling in 26 assembly constituencies of the union territory. The diplomats stated that their purpose is to “observe polling and to see how democracy is working on ground.”
The high-level delegation comprises senior diplomats from USA, Mexico, Guyana, South Korea, Somalia, Panama, Singapore, Nigeria, Spain, South Africa, Norway, Tanzania, Rwanda, Algeria, and Philippines. This is for the first time that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has invited foreign diplomats in the middle of J&K Assembly polls taking place after a decade.
However, National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah lashed out at the government of India’s move to invite foreign delegates saying the polls were an internal matter of India and “we do not need their certificate”.
