ECI issues notification for 2nd phase

Jammu, Aug 29: The Election Commission of India (ECI) Thursday issued a poll notification for the second phase of elections to the Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir.

A total of 26 Assembly constituencies in the districts of Ganderbal, Srinagar, Budgam, Reasi, Rajouri and Poonch will go to polls in the second phase.

In the Kashmir division, 15 Assembly segments comprising 17-Kangan (ST); 18-Ganderbal; 19-Hazratbal; 20-Khanyar; 21-Habba Kadal; 22-Lal Chowk; 23-Chanapora; 24-Zadibal; 25-Eidgah; 26-Central Shalteng; 27-Budgam; 28-Beerwah; 29-Khan Sahab; 30-Charar-e-Sharief; 31-Chadoora; and in Jammu division, 11 constituencies comprising  56-Gulabgarh (ST); 57-Reasi; 58-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi; 83-Kalakote- Sunderbani; 84-Nowshera; 85-Rajouri (ST); 86-Budhal (ST); 87- Thannamandi (ST); 88-Surankote (ST); 89-Poonch Haveli and 90-Mehdhar (ST) are scheduled to go to polls in the second phase of the electoral process.

As per the ECI notification issued in pursuance of sections 30 and 56 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the last date for filing nominations is September 5, 2024. Scrutiny of the nomination papers will take place on September 6, 2024, and the last date of withdrawal of candidature is September 9, 2024.

The polling day for these Assembly constituencies is scheduled for September 25, 2024. Polling will be conducted from 7 am to 6 pm, the notification reads.

Earlier, as recommended by the ECI, the Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, by notification issued under sub-section (2) of section 15 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (43 of 1951) and published in the official Gazette of the Union Territory on August 29, 2024, called upon each of these Assembly constituencies in the Union Territory, to elect members to the Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory, following the provisions of the said Act and of the rules and orders made thereunder.

On August 9, 2019, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, was enacted through which the then state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two Union Territories – J&K and Ladakh.

“Section 14 (2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 provides that there shall be a Legislative Assembly for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.  A Delimitation Commission was set up under the Delimitation Commission Act, 2002, vide notification dated March 6, 2020, to inter-alia carry out delimitation of the constituency of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir which has been completed vide notification dated May 5, 2022,” the notification, issued by LG Sinha and published in the official Gazette of the Union Territory, read.

In terms of sub-section (1) of section 15 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (43 of 1951), a general election has to be held to constitute the first Legislative Assembly of the newly carved Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.