New Delhi: The Election Commission on Saturday announced the dates for Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir. The poll panel has announced a five-phase elections in the state.
The voting will begin on November 25. The second phase will be held on December 2, the third on December 9, the fourth on December 14 and the fifth phase on December 20.
The counting of votes will be held on December 23.
With the announcement of the dates, the model code of conduct has immediately come into force in the state, the EC said.
Jammu and Kashmir is a militancy-hit state, with an extremely harsh winter, while Jharkhand is a Naxal-affected state. To ensure a free and fair voting, the Election Commission has come out with a month-long five-phase polling.
Unlike all other states in India, J&K goes to Assembly polls once in six years instead of five years. The last Assembly election was held in 2008. The National Conference (NC) and Congress coalition government has been in power in the state since then. However, the Congress is giving hints that it wants to sever ties with the NC ahead of the elections.
The main opposition PDP led by former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is trying to come back to power this election.
Buoyed by the spectacular victory in the Lok Sabha and recent Assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP is also trying to emerge as the single largest party in J&K.
J&K was recently-hit by a severe flood and is slowly limping back to normalcy. All efforts by the chief minister Omar Abdullah to get the polls postponed have failed after the Centre refused to do so.
The term of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly ends on January 19.
Key players in the fray
Jammu and Kashmir:
National Conference
People's Democratic Party
Congress
Bharatiya Janata Party
Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party
Assembly seats: 87
Polling Booths: 10015
No of voters: 72 lakh
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Press Note Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir polls
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