Voting began at 7 am and will end at 6 pm.
There are 22 contestants in the fray, but the main electoral battle is between BJP's Jugal Kishore Sharma and Congress's Raman Bhalla. Sharma is seeking re-election from the constituency for the third time, while Bhalla, a former Jammu and Kashmir minister, has the support of the party's India block partner National Conference.
Akhnoor polling constituency of Jammu district recorded 65.78 percent votes till afternoon, which is the highest so far among all the polling constituencies of this Lok Sabha constituency.
Among others, 49.31 percent in Bahu, 59.85 percent in Bishnah (SC), 60.19 percent in Cham, 63.07 percent in Gulabgarh (ST), 53.33 percent in Jammu East, 51.95 percent in Jam North, 50.17 percent in Jammu West, Kalakot- Voting took place.Sunderbani 59.39 percent, Madh (SC) 60.71 percent, Nagrota 61.76 percent, RS Pura-Jammu South 52.37 percent, Ramgarh (SC), 58.95 percent, Reasi 64.19 percent, Samba 61.3 percent, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi 64.77 percent, Suchetgarh (SC). 55.70 percent and Vijaypur 56.39 percent.
The polling areas of the constituency are spread over Jammu and Rias districts, Ramgarh, Vijaypur and Samba in Samba district, Sunderbani-Kalakote in Rajouri district.
As the day progressed, the queues outside the polling stations grew longer and every voter, especially first-time voters, as well as voters living in border areas, turned out to exercise their franchise.
Women voters also turned out in large numbers.
According to election officials, 97-year-old Janaki Devi, who was holding her grandson's hand for support, cast her vote at a polling booth in Khabbal, and 105-year-old Sardar Avtar Singh Raina voted in Jammu. A newly married couple, still in their wedding attire, reached a polling booth in Mahor, Reasi, to cast their vote.Long queues were seen in Ramgarh, Vijaypur and Samba sections of Jammu district and Samba district.
Better roads, development, education, connectivity, healthcare etc. are the main issues of urban voters.
Border voters are turning out in large numbers to exercise their democratic right, proving that peace on the border and the country's ability to protect their lives, agricultural fields, homes and livestock is their main consideration.
ECI officials said contingency plans were in place in case of any disruption at border polling stations.
The constituency has 17,80,738 voters – 9,21,053 men, 8,59,65 women and 28 third gender voters.The Election Commission has created 2416 polling stations including 666 urban and 1,750 rural.
CCTV camera monitoring, webcasting and deployment of polling mobile senior observer staff are some of the measures to ensure free and fair polling in the constituency. To ensure fairness of the voting process, thirteen polling stations falling in the communication shadow area are being monitored through satellite phones, wireless and huma runners.
Adequate security has been provided throughout the constituency, while polling stations were security cleared a day before polling, with hundreds of state police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel deployed to provide a safe and secure polling environment. ) has been deployed.
There are 22 contestants in the fray, but the main electoral battle is between BJP's Jugal Kishore Sharma and Congress's Raman Bhalla. Sharma is seeking re-election from the constituency for the third time, while Bhalla, a former Jammu and Kashmir minister, has the support of the party's India block partner National Conference.
Akhnoor polling constituency of Jammu district recorded 65.78 percent votes till afternoon, which is the highest so far among all the polling constituencies of this Lok Sabha constituency.
Among others, 49.31 percent in Bahu, 59.85 percent in Bishnah (SC), 60.19 percent in Cham, 63.07 percent in Gulabgarh (ST), 53.33 percent in Jammu East, 51.95 percent in Jam North, 50.17 percent in Jammu West, Kalakot- Voting took place.Sunderbani 59.39 percent, Madh (SC) 60.71 percent, Nagrota 61.76 percent, RS Pura-Jammu South 52.37 percent, Ramgarh (SC), 58.95 percent, Reasi 64.19 percent, Samba 61.3 percent, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi 64.77 percent, Suchetgarh (SC). 55.70 percent and Vijaypur 56.39 percent.
The polling areas of the constituency are spread over Jammu and Rias districts, Ramgarh, Vijaypur and Samba in Samba district, Sunderbani-Kalakote in Rajouri district.
As the day progressed, the queues outside the polling stations grew longer and every voter, especially first-time voters, as well as voters living in border areas, turned out to exercise their franchise.
Women voters also turned out in large numbers.
According to election officials, 97-year-old Janaki Devi, who was holding her grandson's hand for support, cast her vote at a polling booth in Khabbal, and 105-year-old Sardar Avtar Singh Raina voted in Jammu. A newly married couple, still in their wedding attire, reached a polling booth in Mahor, Reasi, to cast their vote.Long queues were seen in Ramgarh, Vijaypur and Samba sections of Jammu district and Samba district.
Better roads, development, education, connectivity, healthcare etc. are the main issues of urban voters.
Border voters are turning out in large numbers to exercise their democratic right, proving that peace on the border and the country's ability to protect their lives, agricultural fields, homes and livestock is their main consideration.
ECI officials said contingency plans were in place in case of any disruption at border polling stations.
The constituency has 17,80,738 voters – 9,21,053 men, 8,59,65 women and 28 third gender voters.The Election Commission has created 2416 polling stations including 666 urban and 1,750 rural.
CCTV camera monitoring, webcasting and deployment of polling mobile senior observer staff are some of the measures to ensure free and fair polling in the constituency. To ensure fairness of the voting process, thirteen polling stations falling in the communication shadow area are being monitored through satellite phones, wireless and huma runners.
Adequate security has been provided throughout the constituency, while polling stations were security cleared a day before polling, with hundreds of state police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel deployed to provide a safe and secure polling environment. ) has been deployed.
