J&K: Election officers in Kathua urge people to vote in large numbers during polling on September 5

DEO Minhas explained that the nomination process will begin with the issuance of notifications by the respective Returning Officers (ROs).

As per the official, the window for accepting nominations will be open from September 5-12, excluding government holidays. Candidates are encouraged to visit the offices of the relevant ROs to submit their nominations, adhering strictly to the guidelines set by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The scrutiny of the nominations will take place on September 13, and candidates will have until September 17 to withdraw their nominations if desired.

The DEO provided an overview of the District Election Profile, highlighting that Kathua comprises six assembly segments: 63-Bani, 64-Billawar, 65-Basohli, 66-Jasrota, 67-Kathua (SC), and 68-Hiranagar. The total number of electors across these segments is 502,978.

In 63-Bani AC, of 57,999 voters (30,751 Male, 27,247 Female, 1 Third Gender), In 64-Billawar AC, a total of 94,651 voters (49,500 Male, 45,151 Female) In 65-Basohli AC of 69,282 voters (36,343 Male, 32,937 Female, 2 Third Gender), likewise in 66-Jasrota AC a total of 86,753 voters are registered (45,355 Male, 41,398 Female).

Similarly, in 67-Kathua (SC) AC, a total of 108,666 voters (57,090 Male, 51,576 Female) are registered and in 68-Hiranagar AC, 87,939 voters (45,781 Male, 42,158 Female) are registered.

To ensure a safe and secure electoral environment, DEO Minhas assured that sufficient security personnel will be deployed across all segments of the district.

For the smooth conduct of the polling process, a total of 704 polling stations have been established, including 36 special polling stations tailored for various groups--namely Pink, Youth, PWD-manned, Green, Unique, Model, and Along Border polling stations--each located within their respective assembly constituencies.

This initiative aims to make the election process more inclusive and participative, in line with ECI guidelines.

The DEO also informed that the provision of home voting for over 85-year-old voters is provisioned for which voters can apply to cast their vote on 20 and 21st September 2024 with the help of our polling teams while maintaining the secrecy of voting.

The DEO also briefed the media about the District SVEEP (Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation) plan, designed to raise awareness about the value of voting and its role in selecting representatives of the people's choice.

He urged the citizens of Kathua to come out in large numbers to exercise their right to vote and actively participate in this essential democratic process.

DEO Minhas called on media personnel to play a vital role in disseminating the message of SVEEP through the intensive campaigns being conducted by the Nodal Officers across all six assembly constituencies.

Pertinently, the Kathua District is slated to go for polls on October 1, 2024, under phase III of the Assembly Elections-2024.

Polling in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 8. Jammu and Kashmir has 90 assembly constituencies, with 7 seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 9 for Scheduled Tribes (STs).

As per the Election Commission of India, Jammu and Kashmir has 88.06 lakh eligible electors.

In the previous Assembly elections, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) won 28 seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 25, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) won 15, and the Congress won 12.

These upcoming elections will be the first in Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370. (ANI)