Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 18 (HBTV): Polling for the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections began on Wednesday amid tight security arrangements. 

The voting process that began at 7 am will conclude at 6 pm, per the Election Commission of India.

24 Assembly constituencies across Jammu and Kashmir are going to polls--16 Assembly seats in the Kashmir region and 8 seats in the Jammu region will go for polls in the first phase of elections. 

Notably, 486 candidates had filed their nomination papers before the respective returning officers in 40 Assembly constituencies till the last date of filing the nominations on September 12. Out of these, the nomination papers of 449 candidates were found valid during the scrutiny held on September 13, and now, with the withdrawal of 34 candidates, 415 candidates now remain in the final electoral fray for phase 3. 

With this, a total of 873 candidates will be in the final fray in the Assembly Elections for 90 assembly constituencies, including 219 candidates for 24 assembly seats in the first phase, 239 candidates for 26 seats in the second phase, and 415 candidates for 40 seats in the final phase, the official added.

Polling for the second and third phases of the Assembly elections will be held on September 25 and October 1, respectively. 

Counting of the votes is scheduled to be held on October 8. 

This marks the first Assembly elections in the region since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

The Congress and the National Conference are fighting the polls in alliance. The PDP, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), People's Conference, to name a few, are other parties in the fray for 90 Assembly seats. 

(ANI)