Polling for the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections began early Wednesday, with voting starting at 7 AM and scheduled to conclude by 6 PM, according to the Election Commission of India.

Security measures have been heightened across the region to ensure smooth conduct of the elections.

In this first phase, voters from 24 Assembly constituencies—16 in the Kashmir region and 8 in Jammu—are heading to the polls. A total of 219 candidates are contesting in this phase. Overall, 486 candidates had initially filed their nominations for 40 Assembly constituencies, but after scrutiny and withdrawals, 415 candidates remain in the race for the third and final phase.

A total of 873 candidates will be competing across 90 Assembly constituencies in the region. Phase two of the elections, covering 26 seats, is scheduled for September 25, and phase three, covering 40 seats, will take place on October 1. Vote counting is slated for October 8.

These elections are particularly significant as they mark the first Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir since the revocation of Article 370 in August 2019, which altered the region’s special status.

Key parties contesting in this election include the Congress-National Conference alliance, the People's Democratic Party (PDP), BJP, and People's Conference, among others.