Srinagar/IBNS: The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a record polling at 36.58 pct in the the fourth Phase of voting for general elections to Monday.

Voting was held across districts of Srinagar, Ganderbal, Pulwama, and Budgam and Shopian partly. Polling took place in 2,135 polling stations across the Srinagar Parliamentary constituency with live webcasting at all the polling stations.

Voting started at 7 am with long queues of enthusiastic voters waiting to cast their votes.

Voters of Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal, Pulwama, and Shopian showed up in record numbers to cast their votes.

This was the first general election in the valley after the abrogation of Article 370 and the enactment of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.

There are 24 candidates in the fray as compared to 12 in the 2019 general election.

Polling was conducted under heavy security cover. More than 8,000 polling staff were on duty to cater to the over 17.47 lakh strong electorate.

Command-and-Control centers have been working 24x7 in Srinagar as well as Jammu since March 16, the date of announcement of the General Elections 2024, to ensure free, fair, and inducement-free elections. 

The Commission has enabled Kashmiri migrant voters residing at various relief camps in Delhi, Jammu, and Udhampur to have the option of voting in person at designated special polling stations or using postal ballot.

Twenty-one special polling stations were established at Jammu, 1 at Udhampur and 4 at Delhi.

Polling for the Anantnag-Rajouri seat has been deferred to May 25 after objections from the BJP.

The counting of votes will be held on June 4 after the last phase of the election ends on June 1.