New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana Assembly Elections Scheduled for September and October

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana. The elections will be conducted in three phases in Jammu and Kashmir on September 18, September 25, and October 1, while Haryana will hold its assembly election on October 1. Results for both states will be declared on October 4.

These elections mark a significant moment for Jammu and Kashmir, as they will be the first since the Centre restructured the state into two Union Territories—Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh—following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. This constitutional change ended Jammu and Kashmir's special status, which had granted it a unique degree of autonomy.

The decision to hold elections comes after considerable pressure from opposition parties who opposed the revocation of the region's special status. In response to these concerns, the Supreme Court had directed the Election Commission to ensure the assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30, 2024.

The last assembly election in the region occurred in late 2014. The upcoming election will unfold in three phases: the first phase will cover regions including Srinagar and Ganderbal, the second phase will include Poonch and Rajouri, and the final phase will encompass north Kashmir, Udhampur, Jammu, and Kathua.

The detailed election schedule for Jammu and Kashmir is as follows: Notification issuance will occur on August 20, August 29, and September 5. The last date for notification is August 27, September 5, and September 12. Nomination scrutiny will take place on August 28, September 6, and September 13, with the last date for withdrawal of candidatures set for August 30, September 9, and September 17. Voting will occur on September 18, September 25, and October 1, with results announced on October 4. Jammu and Kashmir boasts a voter base of 87.09 lakh, including 42.6 lakh women. The electorate comprises 74 general seats, 7 reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC), and 9 for Scheduled Tribes (ST).

In Haryana, the election will be conducted on October 1, with the results also scheduled for October 4. The election schedule includes notification issuance on September 5, the last date for notification on September 12, scrutiny of nominations on September 13, and the last date for withdrawal of candidatures on September 16.

The 2019 Haryana assembly elections saw the BJP forming a government in coalition with the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), securing 40 and 10 seats respectively, while the Congress won 31 seats. The BJP-JJP alliance has since dissolved, and the term of the Haryana legislative assembly concludes on November 3.

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