ECNETNews – Union Home Minister Amit Shah urged the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir on September 18, 2024, to participate actively in the upcoming elections to establish a government dedicated to youth education, employment opportunities, women’s empowerment, and the eradication of separatism.
Shah emphasized that only a determined government can ensure a terror-free Jammu and Kashmir, safeguard citizens’ rights, and accelerate development initiatives.
In a call to action directed at voters in the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, Shah stated, “I urge you to vote in large numbers to create a government focused on the education of youth, job creation, empowerment of women, and the elimination of nepotism and separatism in our region.”
Additionally, the Home Minister encouraged residents to cast their votes before having breakfast with the motto ‘Pehle matdan phir jalpan’.
The Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir commenced on September 18, marking the first elections since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. A total of 24 constituencies across seven districts participated in Phase 1, all under stringent security measures.
The last Assembly elections in the region were conducted in 2014, and over 23 lakh voters are set to decide the fate of 219 candidates, including 90 Independents, contesting for the 24 assembly segments in this phase.
The remaining two phases of the elections are scheduled for September 25 and October 1, with vote counting to occur on October 8.
Published – September 18, 2024 08:27 am IST
