NEW DELHI: After a gap of six years, democratic rule is set to return to Jammu and Kashmir through a three-phase assembly election from September 18 to October 1. The Election Commission of India on Friday announced the dates for the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana.

Addressing the media, Chief Election Commission Rajeev Kumar said that the election will be held in three phases in Jammu and Kashmir. The first phase of the election is on September 18. The second phase will be held on September 25 and the third phase on October 1. Haryana will go into polling booths on October 1. The results in both the states will be out on October 4. The by-election dates across India are yet to be announced.

Jammu and Kashmir, which has been under President’s rule since December 20, 2018, had its special powers under Article 370 revoked by the Modi government in 2019 and was divided into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. This is the first assembly election since then. The last assembly election in the state was held in 2014. This means that the people of Jammu and Kashmir will be exercising their right to vote after a decade.

The Supreme Court had earlier directed the Election Commission to hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30. The 58.58% polling in last year’s Lok Sabha election in Jammu and Kashmir indicated that the public mood is in favour of the election. However, the continuous terrorist attacks in the districts bordering Pakistan, with the aim of disrupting the election, are posing a challenge.

The Election Commission added that it will hold assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, as well as by-elections in Wayanad (Lok Sabha), Palakkad, and Chelakkara (Assembly) constituencies after the elections in Jammu Kashmir and Haryana.

Jammu Kashmir (Total seats: 90)

1. Sept. 18 ((24 seats)
2. Sept. 25 (26 seats)
3. Oct. One (40 seats)

Haryana (Total seats: 90)

1. Oct 1

The counting of votes in both states will take place on October 4.