Apni Party’s Altaf Bukhari, BJP’s Devender Rana among 3 richest candidates in Jammu and Kashmir assembly poll fray

With assets amounting to ₹165 Crore, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari of the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party is the richest candidate contesting assembly elections in the Union Territory (UT). Bukhari, the Apni Party president, is contesting from Channapora seat in Srinagar going to polls in the second phase of elections on September 25.

Tariq Hameed Karra, the state Congress president contesting from Central Shalteng seat, is the second richest candidate with a declared wealth of ₹148 Crore. Devender Singh Rana of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who is contesting the Nagrota seat in Jammu, is the third richest candidate, with a declared wealth of ₹126 Crore.

Jammu and Kashmir is voting in three phases for the 90 assembly seats. The first phase was held on September 18. The second phase will be held on September 25 while the third and final phase is scheduled for October 1. The results will be declared on October 8.

Election watchdog, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Jammu & Kashmir Election Watch analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 872 out of 873 candidates, who are contesting in theassembly elections in all three phases.

47 per cent Crorepatis

Out of the 872 candidates analysed, 410 (47 per cent) are crorepatis. In 2014 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, out of 831 candidates, 317 (38 per cent) were crorepatis.

The average of assets per candidate contesting the polls 2024 is ₹3.65 Crore. In 2014 Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections, average assets per candidate for 831 Candidates was ₹1.93 crore.

Party wise average assets: Among major parties, the average assets per candidate for 62 BJP candidates analysed is ₹9.13 crores, 56 National Conference candidates analysed is ₹8.26 crores, 39 Congress candidates have average assets of ₹8.08 crores, 80 PDP candidates have average assets of ₹ 5.27 crores and 28 BSP candidates have average assets worth ₹1.59 crores, the ADR report said.

This is the first assembly election being held in the erstwhile state in ten years and also the first since the abrogation of Article 370in 2019. The final turnout can go up as data from some stations are yet to be compiled, the commission said