Voters queued outside polling stations in India's Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday to vote in the first provincial election being held in a decade in the Himalayan region that has grappled with years of militant violence.

The first phase of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, held on September 18, witnessed a remarkable voter turnout of approximately 58.85%

Following the Election Commission's announcement of polls in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time since 2014, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect. Jammu and Kashmir is voting in three phases—September 18, September 25, and October 1. Results will be declared on October 8.

The candidate with the lowest declared assets is Independent Mohd Akram, contesting from the ST-reserved Surankote constituency, with assets worth just Rs 500.

Voters in Jammu and Kashmir participate in elections after a decade, expressing views on regional changes since 2019. Turnout and results may indicate public sentiment.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari emphasized that the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are not about the victory of any political alliance but about ensuring the region's prosperity and peace.

In the first phase of Jammu and Kashmir’s assembly polls held on September 18, a voter turnout of over 61% was recorded, mirroring the 2014 elections. Kishtwar district led with an impressive 80% turnout.

Twenty four assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir went to the polls in the first phase. These include 16 seats in the Kashmir region and eight seats in the Jammu region

India’s troubled region of Jammu and Kashmir saw a brisk turnout amid tight security as voters cast their ballots on Wednesday in the first regional legislative elections in a decade. The region, which has seen years of separatist violence and is at the centre of a dispute between India and Pakistan,