BJP's Ravinder Raina thanks people of J-K following record turnout in Assembly polls

The Election Commission of India said on Thursday in a press statement that an overall 63.88 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the Assembly elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

The poll panel said that a voter turn of 69.69 percent was recorded in the third phase held on October 1. Phase-1 and Phase-2 saw polling percentages of 61.38 percent and 57.31 percent, respectively.

Addressing reporters at BJP headquarters in Jammu, "Assembly elections have successfully been held in Jammu and Kashmir, and the BJP expresses its gratitude to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. We express gratitude to its voters for overwhelmingly participating in these elections."

He also referred to the record voter turnout in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections held in Jammu and Kashmir.

"I congratulate the voters for this record voter turnout. I also express gratitude to the brave personnel of Jammu and Kashmir police, jawans of paramilitary force, BSF, CSF, SSB, and ITBT - all those jawans who contributed in making these elections successful," Ravinder Raina said.

The three-phase assembly elections concluded peacefully in Jammu and Kashmir on October 1. These were the first assembly polls held in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370.

The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference and Congress, partners in the INDIA alliance, jointly contested the assembly elections while the PDP and BJP fought the elections on their own.

Prominent leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah (BJP), Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and former Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, and Mehbooba Mufti, campaigned extensively for weeks.The counting of votes will take place on October 8.

In 2023, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to hold Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30, 2024. (ANI)