J&K polls 2024: Voting across 26 constituencies underway; Ex-CM Omar Abdullah, BJP chief Ravinder Raina among candidates to watch

On Wednesday, voting began in the second phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election. More than 2.5 million voters will decide the fate of 239 candidates running for 26 seats in the Union territory. These assembly constituencies are located over six districts, three in the Valley and three in the Jammu Division. The voting period will last from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. 

During this phase, 93 candidates compete in Srinagar district, followed by 46 in Budgam, 34 in Rajouri, 25 in Poonch, 21 in Ganderbal, and 20 in Reasi. 

The Assembly constituencies in Srinagar district include Hazratbal, Khanyar, Habbakadal, Lal Chowk, Channapora, Zadibal, Central Shalteng, and Eidgah. Budgam district has five segments: Budgam, Beerwah, Khansahib, Chrar-I-Sharief and Chandoora. There are two constituencies in the Ganderbal district -- Kangan and Ganderbal. 

Gulabgarh, Reasi, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, Kalakote-Sunderbani, Nowshera, Rajouri, Budhal, Thannamandi, Surankote, Poonch Haveli, and Mendhar are among the Jammu division seats up for election.

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, JKPCC President Tariq Hamid Karra, and BJP J-K Chief Ravinder Raina are among the candidates to watch in this phase. Abdullah is running for the Ganderbal and Budgam seats, while Karra is running in Central Shalteng.

Raina will seek to maintain his Nowshera seat in Rajouri district, which he won in the 2014 assembly elections.  Sarjan Ahmad Wagay alias Barkati, a jailed separatist leader, hopes to emulate Engineer Rashid's Lok Sabha victory over the National Conference leader. Barkati is competing in the Beerwah and Ganderbal stages. 

Other key candidates in this second phase of assembly polls are Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari, former ministers Ali Mohammad Sagar, Abdul Rahim Rather, Choudhary Zulfikar Ali and Syed Mushtaq Bukhari. 

On September 18, the first wave of voting yielded an estimated 61.38%. The final phase will go to the polls on October 1. Votes will be counted on October 8.