Srinagar: Reportedly, a delegation of curious diplomats from 15 countries arrived here on Wednesday morning to witness the polling process undertaken in J&K after a 10-year hiatus.
They represent a diverse group of nations, including the United States, Norway, the Philippines, Algeria, Spain, South Africa, the Republic of Korea, Rwanda, Algeria, Nigeria, Panama, Somalia, the United Republic of Tanzania, Guyana, Mexico and Singapore.
“The delegation will witness the people’s participative voting at many polling stations. The over 61 percent voting in the first phase of the J&K elections has re-affirmed the faith of the people of the union territory in the democratic process, and the arrival of the diplomatic delegation to witness the same is the result of the success of India’s democracy in J&K,” sources said.
According to sources, the diplomats would visit several voting centres during the day to see the ‘festival of democracy’ being celebrated in Kashmir. This festival, a vibrant display of democratic values, includes various activities such as voter education programmes, cultural events, and the casting of votes to elect a representative government of the people of J&K.
The Legislative Assembly election is divided into three phases in Jammu and Kashmir. On September 18, voting for the first phase concluded with a more than 61 percent voter turnout.
Voting in the second phase began at 7 a.m. Wednesday and will close at 6 p.m. A total of 25.78 lakh votes will decide the political fate of 239 candidates across six districts in Jammu and Kashmir.
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The Election Commission of India has set up 3,502 polling stations across J&K’s six districts: Poonch, Rajouri, and Reasi in Jammu division, and Srinagar, Budgam, and Ganderbal in Kashmir.
Senior politicians, including former J&K Chief Minister and Vice President of National Conference Omar Abdullah, JKPCC chief Tariq Hameed Karra, BJP J&K president Ravinder Raina, former Ministers Ali Mohammad Sagar, Asiya Naqash, Abdur Rahim Rather, Hakim Mohammad Yasin, Choudhary Zulfiqar, and J&K Apni Chief Syed Altaf Bukhari, are in the electoral fray in the second phase.
Voting for the third and last phase of these elections will take place on October 1, and counting will be held on October 8.
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–IANS
