Srinagar: Election Commission (EC) said that for the first phase of J&K Assembly polls, 279 candidates have filed their nomination papers till Tuesday, the last date of filing papers for the first phase in which voting is scheduled for September 18.
EC statement said 72 candidates have filed their nomination papers in Anantnag district, followed by 55 in Pulwama district, 41 in Doda district, 32 in Kishtwar district, 28 in Shopian district, 28 in Kulgam district, while 23 candidates have filed nominations in Ramban district.
In Jammu division, for the three assembly constituencies in Kishtwar district, a total of 13 candidates have filed nomination papers.
From Inderwal, 11 candidates have filed nominations, while eight candidates have filed nominations from the Padder-Nagseni constituency.
In the three constituencies in the Doda district, 16 candidates have filed nominations from Bhadarwah, 16 candidates have filed nominations from Doda, and nine candidates have filed nominations from Doda West.
For the two constituencies in Ramban district, a total of 13 candidates have filed nominations from Ramban while 10 candidates have filed nominations from Banihal.
In the Kashmir division, for the four constituencies in the Pulwama district, 16 candidates have filed nominations from Pampore, 13 candidates have filed nominations from Tral, 14 candidates have filed nominations from Pulwama and 12 candidates have filed nominations from Rajpora.
A total of 15 candidates have filed nominations from Zainapora while 13 candidates have filed nominations from the Shopian constituency in the Shopian district.
In the three constituencies in the Kulgam district, six candidates have filed nominations from DH Pora, 11 candidates have filed nominations from Kulgam and 11 candidates have filed nominations from Devsar.
For the seven constituencies in Anantnag district, a total of 12 candidates have filed nominations from Dooru, 11 candidates have filed nominations from Kokernag (ST), 14 candidates have filed nominations from Anantnag West, 13 candidates have filed nominations from Anantnag, three candidates have filed nomination from Srigufwara-Bijbehara, 13 candidates have filed nominations from Shangus-Anantnag East and six candidates have filed nomination from Pahalgam.
It may be mentioned that more than 23.27 lakh voters which include 11.76 lakh male voters and 11.51 lakh female voters and 60 third-gender electors are eligible to exercise their electoral franchise during the Phase-I of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Election, scheduled to be held on September 18, 2024.
The nomination papers will be scrutinised by the respective Returning Officers on 28 August while the candidates can withdraw their nomination papers by or before 30 August up to 3 pm in the office of Returning Officer.
(IANS)