Jammu-Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024: NC chief Farooq Abdullah to contest polls, says Omar will take over when...

National Conference President Farooq Abdullah said on Friday that he will contest the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections, but his son Omar will not fight the polls this year. He said Omar Abdullah, vice-president of the National Conference, will contest elections when statehood is restored.

“I will contest these elections. Omar Abdullah will not contest the elections. When the statehood is restored, I will step down, and Omar Abdullah will contest from that seat,” Farooq Abdullah told reporters on Friday after the Election Commission announced the assembly election schedule.

He said, “We want statehood. Not only the NC but all the parties of J&K want it. It is the Government of India's promise that there will be complete statehood...”

Meanwhile, Omar Abdullah asserted that his party is ready for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls and that campaigning will begin soon. Addressing the press conference, Omar Abdullah said, “Der aaye durust aaye. The Election Commission has announced the dates of the elections in three phases.”

“The schedule will be over in a short time. After 1987-1988, this is the first time the elections in J&K are being conducted in such a small number of phases. The National Conference was ready for this day. We will begin our election campaign soon,” Omar added.

Election Commission announces poll dates

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections will be held three phases – on September 18, September 25 and October 1. The results will be declared for both the assembly elections on October 4, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced on Friday.

There are 90 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, of which 74 are General, nine are ST, and seven are SC.

In Jammu and Kashmir, there are 87.09 lakh total electors, of which 44.46 lakh are male, 42.62 female, 169 are Transgender, 82,590 PwDs, 73943 very senior citizens, 2660 centenarians, 76092 service electors, and 3.71 lakh are first-time voters.

In December last year, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to conclude the election process in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30, 2024.

Jammu and Kashmir will witness elections after a gap of ten years, as the last assembly elections were held in 2014. The PDP-BJP coalition government fell in June 2018 when the latter withdrew support to the then-Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti.