Notification for Ist-phase of J-K polls to be issued tomorrow

Jammu, Oct 27: Setting the poll process in motion, notification for the first phase of Assembly elections in

will be issued tomorrow. The Election Commission on Saturday decided to go ahead with holding Assembly polls in flood-devastated Jammu and Kashmir and announced a five-phased schedule between November 23 and December 20.

Polling will take place on November 25, December 2, 9, 14 and 20. "The notification for the first phase will be issued tomorrow (Tuesday)," a senior officer of J&K Election Department said. The First phase of polling will cover 15 Assembly segment spread across 7 districts of Bandipora, Ganderbal of Kashmir valley, Kargil, Leh of Ladakh region, Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban of Jammu region on November 25.

The last date for filing nominations is November 5 and that of withdrawal November 10. The date of counting of votes has been fixed for 23 December this year. The Assembly constituencies of Gurez, Bandipora, Sonawari, Kangan, Ganderbal, Nobra, Leh, Kargil, Zanskar, Kishtwar, Inderwal, Doda, Bhaderwah, Ramban and Banihal will go to election in first phase. Congress and NC had bagged 7 seats each while PDP took one seat in 2008 Assembly polls.

Nine assembly seats in Kashmir and Jammu regions will be going to polls in the second phase on December two. Of these, maximum of six are in Udhampur, five in Baramulla, four in Anantnag and three in Jammu. The notification for the second phase will be issued on November seven with date of polling on December two.

The third phase, for which polling will be held on December 9, will cover remaining seven seats of Baramulla Parliamentary constituency, five seats in Budgam of central Kashmir and four from Anantnag.

The fourth phase, for which notification will be issued on November 19 and polling held on December 14, will cover nine assembly seats of prestigious Srinagar city, seven remaining seats of Anantnag and two from Jammu parliamentary seat. Five seats of Udhampur Parliamentary seat and 15 of Jammu area, covering the nine assembly seats of Jammu city, will go to polls in the final phase on December 20. The current six-year term of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly ends on January 19.

PTI