Jammu & Kashmir Begins First Assembly Elections in a Decade

Over 2.3 million voters will cast their ballots amid heightened security and political tensions.

The elections are the first since the 2019 revocation of Article 370, which stripped the region of its special status and statehood.
A total of 24 seats across seven districts are up for grabs in the first phase, with 219 candidates contesting.
Security has been intensified with multi-tier arrangements involving CAPF, J&K Armed Police, and local police forces.
Voters are expressing a mix of disillusionment and hope, seeing the elections as a chance to reject Prime Minister Modi's policies.
This election follows a controversial delimitation exercise that reallocated assembly seats, sparking allegations of bias towards Hindu-majority Jammu.