Wed Sep 18 04:11:49 UTC 2024: ## Congress Calls for High Voter Turnout in J&K Elections, Highlights Full Statehood Demand
**Srinagar:** With the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections underway, Indian National Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge urged voters to participate in large numbers and be the catalysts for change. In a tweet, Kharge emphasized the importance of voting as a means to safeguard rights and usher in an era of true development and full statehood for the region.
“Every single vote holds the power to shape the future and bring about an era of peace, stability, justice, progress, and economic empowerment,” Kharge stated. He further appealed to first-time voters to actively participate in the democratic process.
Kharge’s appeal highlighted the Congress’s stance on the issue of full statehood, emphasizing the region’s demotion to a Union Territory as a “travesty.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also encouraged voters to participate actively in the elections, urging young and first-time voters to exercise their franchise.
The first phase of polling, covering 24 Assembly constituencies, commenced at 7 am today under tight security arrangements. The voting concluded at 6 pm. Long queues were seen at polling stations throughout the day. The second and third phases of the elections are scheduled for September 25 and October 1 respectively, with the counting of votes taking place on October 8.
First Piper 