Impressive voter turnout in J&K shows people's strong trust in democracy: Amit Shah

New Delhi, Sept 19: Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday that impressive voter turnout in Jammu and Kashmir showed the people's strong trust in democracy, peace and progress fostered under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Shah congratulated the Election Commission of India, security forces, local administration and the people of Jammu and Kashmir for making the assembly election truly a festival of democracy.

"Jammu and Kashmir, where elections were once marked by fear and violence, held the first phase of the assembly polls peacefully yesterday. Voter turnout stood at an impressive 61.11 per cent, showing the people's strong trust in democracy, peace, and progress, fostered under the leadership of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji," Shah wrote on X.

Voting was held for the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, first time since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, as 24 constituencies spread over seven districts of the Union Territory went to polls in the first phase amid tight security arrangements.

The other two phases are scheduled to be held on September 25 and October 1, while the counting of the votes will take place on October 8.

The last assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir were held in 2014.