Shafaqna India: In the third phase of Jammu and Kashmir’s Assembly elections, voter turnout reached 44.08% by 1 PM on Tuesday, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Bandipore recorded the highest turnout at 42.67%, followed by Baramulla with 36.6%. Jammu saw a turnout of 43.36%, Kathua at 50.09%, and Kupwara at 42.08%. Voting is underway for 40 seats across seven districts, including the winter capital, Jammu.
Over 39.18 lakh eligible voters are determining the fate of 415 candidates, including former deputy chief ministers Tara Chand and Muzaffar Baig. Notably, West Pakistani refugees, the Valmiki Samaj, and the Gorkha community are voting for the first time in Assembly polls after the abrogation of Article 370.
Rahul Gandhi urged voters to remember that this election is about their rights and self-respect. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called on voters to “teach a lesson” to those who took away statehood, encouraging them to vote in large numbers for their future.