Interesting Facts Jammu & Kashmir’s Electoral Journey: The 2024 Jammu & Kashmir Assembly elections marked a significant chapter in the region’s political history. Held in three phases, the elections saw a total of 873 candidates contesting across 90 constituencies. The first phase took place on September 18, the second on September 25, and the final phase on October 1, with voting conducted in 24, 26, and 40 constituencies, respectively. This election was especially noteworthy as it was the first after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, which divided the erstwhile state into two Union Territories—Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
Here are Interesting Facts of Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024:
Historic Context of the JK Assembly Elections
After a decade-long gap, the 2024 elections were a pivotal moment for Jammu & Kashmir. The National Conference-Congress alliance emerged victorious, securing 48 out of 90 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) became the second-largest party with 29 seats. Other notable results included seven seats won by Independent candidates, three seats by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and one seat each by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and Peoples Conference.
Performance by Major Political Parties
BJP’s Surge in Jammu Division
The BJP made significant strides, winning 29 seats, all in the Jammu division. This was the party’s best-ever performance in Jammu & Kashmir, yet it faced a setback by failing to secure any seats in the Kashmir Valley. Among its victorious candidates were 28 Hindus and one Sikh, with none of its Muslim candidates, including two former ministers, managing to win. The party’s notable victories included Devender Singh Rana’s landslide win in the Nagrota constituency by a margin of 30,472 votes.
Read Also: JK Assembly Election Results 2024: All You Need to Know
Congress Faces Decline
In contrast, the Congress suffered a major defeat in the Jammu division, managing to win just a single seat—Rajouri. This marked an all-time low for the party in the region, with former Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and several other senior leaders failing to secure victories. The party also lost all five seats it had won in the Jammu division in 2014, including Surankote, Reasi, Gulabgarh, Banihal, and Inderwal.
PDP’s Worst Performance in Two Decades
The PDP saw its worst performance in two decades, winning only three seats, all in the Kashmir Valley. This was a steep decline compared to its previous performances—16 seats in 2002, 21 in 2008, and 28 in 2014. The party’s only victory of note was in the Tral constituency, where Rafiqa Ahmad Naik narrowly defeated the Congress candidate by 460 votes.
NOTA In J&K Assembly Elections
More voters in Jammu and Kashmir used the NOTA (None of the Above) option compared to those in Haryana, according to the latest data from the Election Commission. In the three-phase assembly elections for 90 seats in Jammu and Kashmir, voter turnout reached 63.88 per cent of the total electorate, with 1.48 per cent choosing the NOTA option. The NOTA was opted by the people in all 90 Assembly constituencies with Dooru segment in Anantnag district witnessing maximum number of votes in favour of NOTA (2662) followed by D H Pora constituency (2390) in Kulgam district. Similarly, Khansahib constituency in Budgam district recorded third highest NOTA votes (2364) followed by Chenani constituency (1855) in Udhampur district.
Gyan Tatya: NOTA – ‘None Of The Above’ on EVM came into effect from 11th October, 2013 in India. It enables electors to exercise their right not to vote for any candidate.
Independent Candidates and Smaller Parties
Several smaller parties and independent candidates played crucial roles in shaping the election outcome. Notably, two out of three former officers who took retirement to contest the elections secured wins for the BJP—Mohan Lal Bhagat from Akhnoor and Dr. Bharat Bushan from Kathua. On the other hand, the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) of former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad struggled, with none of its candidates making a significant impact. In 43 assembly segments of Jammu region, 68.53 per cent candidates including almost all of the PDP and BSP forfeited their security deposits.
Read also: All About Salary of an MLA in Jammu and Kashmir
Delimitation and New Constituencies
The elections were also impacted by the new delimitation of constituencies, which altered the political landscape. BJP, despite losing seats like Ramban, Chhamb, Nowshera, and Bani, gained new constituencies such as Nagrota, Udhampur, and Bishnah. The National Conference, which had previously held seats like Bishnah and Nagrota, retained only Mendhar, while gaining several new seats, including Banihal, Ramban, and Gulabgarh.
Key Figures and Election Margins
Omar Abdullah Makes History
National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah made history by winning two constituencies—Ganderbal and Budgam. In Budgam, he secured a significant victory with a margin of 18,485 votes, defeating PDP’s Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi. His success in Ganderbal came with a margin of 10,574 votes, further solidifying his political stature.
Watch Video: Watch Interview: Omar Abdullah Opens Up on Kashmir, PM Modi, and Pakistan
Record Wins and Narrow Margins
The highest victory margin was recorded by BJP’s Devender Singh Rana in Nagrota, where he won by a staggering 30,472 votes. In contrast, the narrowest victory margin was witnessed in the Tral constituency, where PDP’s Rafiqa Ahmad Naik won by just 460 votes.
Record Wins in the 2024 JK Assembly Elections:
In a historic achievement, National Conference (NC) leaders Abdul Rahim Rather and Ali Mohammad Sagar secured their seventh consecutive terms in the 2024 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections.
Read also: Who is Abdul Rahim Rather, NC MLA elected as Speaker Of J&K Legislative Assembly?
Abdul Rahim Rather’s Legacy
Abdul Rahim Rather, the former Finance Minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir, has represented Central Kashmir’s Chrar-i-Shareef constituency for six terms, starting in 1977. He was re-elected to the Assembly in 1983, 1987, 1996, 2002, and 2008. However, in the 2014 elections, Rather lost to the PDP’s Ghulam Nabi Lone. His return to the Assembly in 2024 marks his remarkable seventh term, cementing his political influence in the region.
Ali Mohammad Sagar’s Unbroken Winning Streak
Ali Mohammad Sagar, the general secretary of the NC, also achieved a record-breaking seventh victory. First elected from the Batamaloo constituency in 1983, he regained his seat in 1987. Later, Sagar shifted to the Khanyar constituency, where he has maintained an unbroken winning streak since 1996. Sagar has never lost an Assembly election, showcasing his enduring popularity and political strength. In 2024, he won the Khanyar seat by defeating former Deputy Mayor of Srinagar, Sheikh Imran, an Independent candidate, with a margin of 9,912 votes.
CPI(M)’s M Y Tarigami’s Continued Success
In addition to these NC victories, CPI(M)’s M Y Tarigami made headlines by winning the Kulgam constituency for the fifth consecutive time, solidifying his position as a formidable force in Jammu and Kashmir’s political landscape.
These victories reflect the enduring influence of veteran leaders in the region’s politics.
Women’s Representation in 2024 Elections
The 2024 elections saw an increase in women’s participation, with 41 women contesting—up from 24 in 2014. Three women emerged victorious, including former minister Sakeena Masood from the National Conference, Shagun Parihar won the Kishtwar Assembly seat, defeating veteran National Conference leader and former minister Sajad Ahmed Kitchloo and Shamim Firdous, defeated BJP candidate Ashok Kumar Bhat by a margin of 9,538 votes in the Habbakadal seat of the Srinagar district. This marked an improvement in the gender balance of the male-dominated assembly, compared to 2014, when only two women were elected.
Party wise Vote Share in Jammu Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024
According to the data updated by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the party-wise vote share is as follows –
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference – 23.43%
BJP – 25.64%
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) – 8.87%
Indian National Congress (INC) – 11.97%
Others – 30.09%
Read also: JK Assembly Elections: Candidates Income declaration, Assets. All you need to know
51 First-Time MLAs Set to Shape the Future of Jammu & Kashmir’s Assembly
The Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly is poised for a significant transformation with the induction of 51 first-time Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs).
Oldest and Youngest MLA in Jammu Kashmir Assembly 2024
BJP’s 29-year-old Shagun Parihar is the youngest member of the newly elected
Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, while National Conference veteran Abdul Rahim Rather aged 80 is the oldest member.
A New Political Landscape in Jammu & Kashmir
The 2024 Jammu & Kashmir Assembly elections were a transformative event, reflecting the changing political dynamics post-Article 370. While the National Conference-Congress coalition emerged as the dominant force, the BJP continued to solidify its base in Jammu. The PDP’s decline and the rise of new constituencies through delimitation added layers of complexity to the election results. As Jammu & Kashmir continues to navigate its post-370 political landscape, the 2024 elections will be remembered as a defining moment in its democratic journey.
