The stage is set for an intense electoral contest in the Jammu Parliamentary Constituency as over 17.80 lakh voters across 18 Assembly segments get ready to exercise their franchise on April 26.
A total of 22 candidates are in the fray for the crucial Lok Sabha seat spanning four districts-Reasi, Samba, Jammu, and Rajouri. According to the office of the Returning Officer, there are 17,80,835 registered voters in the Jammu Parliamentary Constituency, including 9,21,095 males, 8,59,712 females, and 28 transgenders. Among these are 37,822 service voters (37,025 males and 797 females).
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has made extensive preparations, setting up 2,416 polling stations across the constituency, including 18 Green Polling Stations, 46 Pink Polling Stations, and 18 PwD-manned polling stations. In Reasi district, with three Assembly Constituencies – Gulabgarh (ST), Reasi, and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi – there are 2,35,262 voters, including 12,33,23 males, 11,19,36 females, and three transgenders. The ECI has established 425 polling stations in the district, with 97 classified as vulnerable and 16 as critical.
Samba district, comprising Ramgrah (SC), Samba, and Vijaypur Assembly Constituencies, has 2,59,198 voters, including 1,32,861 males, 1,26,336 females, and one transgender voter. The district has 365 polling stations, with 72 designated as critical.
The highly populated Jammu district, with 11 Assembly Constituencies, including Bishnah (SC), Suchetgarh (SC), R S Pura-Jammu South, Bahu, Jammu East, Nagrota, Jammu West, Jammu North, Marh (SC), Akhnoor (SC), and Chhamb, has 11,89,389 electors, including 6,13,988 males, 5,75,378 females, and 23 transgenders. The district has 24,315 service voters and 1,488 polling stations, with 38 classified as vulnerable and 15 as critical. In Rajouri district, where only the Kalakote-Sunderbani Assembly Constituency falls under the Jammu Parliamentary Constituency, there are 96,986 voters, including 50,923 males, 46,062 females, and one transgender voter. The district has 1,845 service voters and 138 polling stations, with 88 classified as vulnerable and 14 as critical. The R S Pura-Jammu South Assembly Constituency has the highest number of voters at 1,24,744, including 64,687 males, 60,054 females, three transgenders, and 1,592 service voters. The EC has set up 147 polling stations in this constituency.
On the other hand, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Assembly segment of Reasi district has the lowest number of voters at 55,737, comprising 29,340 males, 26,397 females, and 271 service voters. The election authorities have established 91 polling stations across this segment. As the high-decibel campaigning draws to a close, all eyes are now on the electoral battle in Jammu, where the fate of the 22 candidates will be decided by over 17 lakh voters on April 26.
