Assembly election 2024: Polling in J&K, Haryana to be held from September 18 to October 1; check details

The Election Commission has already visited Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana to assess poll preparedness but has not yet conducted a review visit to Maharashtra.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday (August 16) announced the schedule for the much-awaited Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, marking the first electoral exercise in the region since 2014. Voting will be conducted in three phases from September 18 to October 1, with the counting of votes set for October 4. This announcement comes as the first major electoral event following the 2024 national elections.

The elections will be held in three phases: the first phase will cover 24 seats, the second phase will involve 26 seats, and the final phase will encompass 40 seats. In 2014, the Assembly elections in J&K were conducted in five phases. Haryana, meanwhile, will hold its elections in a single phase on October 1.

This poll schedule followed the Supreme Court's recent decision upholding the Centre's move to revoke J&K's special status and mandating that Assembly elections be conducted by September 30. The announcement also coincides with the Union government's decision to enhance the powers of the J&K lieutenant governor, which has been criticized by the Opposition as an attempt to undermine the region's autonomy.

Kumar, an official from the Election Commission, noted the strong enthusiasm among J&K residents, who are eager to participate in the electoral process. “The long queues at polling booths during the Lok Sabha elections demonstrated the people's desire for change and their commitment to shaping their own future,” Kumar said.

Jammu and Kashmir has been without an elected government for the past seven years following the collapse of the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP coalition government in 2018. The forthcoming elections will be a significant step towards restoring democratic governance in the region.