As Jammu and Kashmir awaits results of its first Assembly elections since becoming a Union Territory in 2019, strict security has been put in place for vote counting on Tuesday
This marks the region's first elected government after the removal of Article 370.
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A three-tier security system is in place at 20 counting centres, with paramilitary forces securing the perimeter and police handling the inner layers.
Only authorised personnel, like counting agents and election officials, will be allowed in after thorough security checks.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Jammu and Kashmir Police, and other paramilitary forces are deployed, with CCTV cameras, drones, and mobile jammers in place to ensure smooth operations. Extra forces, including Quick Reaction Teams and anti-riot squads, have been sent to sensitive areas to maintain peace during and after the process.
This election, the first in 10 years, follows the revocation of J&K's special status and its split into two Union Territories—J&K and Ladakh. Held in three phases, the polls saw 873 candidates contesting for 90 seats. Voter turnout was 63.45 per cent, slightly lower than in 2014, largely due to security concerns and mixed reactions to political changes.
Key figures include NC’s Omar Abdullah, Apni Party’s Altaf Bukhari, People’s Conference’s Sajad Lone, Congress’s Tariq Hamid Karra, BJP’s Ravindra Raina, and PDP’s Iltija Mufti and People’s Conference’s Sajad Lone.
Exit polls suggest the NC-Congress alliance may win most of the seats, while the BJP is expected to be the largest party in Jammu. The PDP is likely to decline compared to its best performance of 28 seats in the last elections
Smaller parties like Ghulam Nabi Azad's DPAP and independents are expected to win around 10 seats and be the most sought after by the BJP to firm up its claim to form the government.