“Today, come out of your homes in the largest of numbers possible and exercise your democratic right – vote for INDIA,” Gandhi added.This is the maiden assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir as a Union territory.It is also the first poll to elect an assembly in the last 10 years.The Centre abrogated Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh — on August 5, 2019.In the first phase of the three-phase polls, seven districts of Jammu and Kashmir located on either side of the Pir Panjal mountain range are voting to choose their representatives.More than 23 lakh voters will decide the fate of 219 candidates, including 90 Independents, who are running for 24 assembly segments — eight in three districts of the Jammu region and 16 in four districts of the Kashmir valley.The other two phases are scheduled to be held on September 25 and October 1, while the votes will be counted on October 8.
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