* 16 seats in Kashmir, 8 in Jammu
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 20: The Election Commission today issued notification for the first phase of the three-phased Assembly polls in the UT in which 24 segments will go to polls on September 18.
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With the issuance of the notification, the nomination process for the candidates has started.
The last date for making nominations for the first phase is August 27, while the scrutiny of the nominations will take place on August 28.
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The last date for the withdrawal of candidature is August 30 and the date of poll, if necessitated, is September 18.
In the first phase, 16 Assembly segments in the Valley that are in south Kashmir and eight in Jammu region will go to polls.
The seats are Pampore, Tral, Pulwama, Rajpora, Zainapora, Shopian, D H Pora, Kulgam, Devsar, Dooru, Kokernag (ST), Anantnag West, Anantnag, Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Shangus-Anantnag East, and Pahalgam in the Kashmir valley.
Inderwal, Kishtwar, Padder-Nagseni, Bhaderwah, Doda, Doda West, Ramban, and Banihal will go to polls in Doda region.
In the last Assembly elections held in 2014; Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar districts had two seats each. However, following delimitation of Assembly constituencies, number of seats in Doda and Kishtwar districts has gone up from two to three. The constituencies remained same in Ramban district.
In 2014, out of six seats of Doda region, BJP had won four (Doda, Bhaderwah, Kishtwar and Ramban) while the Congress bagged two (Inderwal and Banihal). The National Conference and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) drew blank.
All major political parties are, however, yet to announce their candidates.
Besides election preparedness, the administration is also busy in finalizing security arrangements for all 90 seats besides the political leaders and contestants. Security arrangements are being given final touches.
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