The first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections is underway, marking the first such election in a decade and the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Over 23 lakh voters are eligible to vote today across 24 constituencies in seven districts, with 219 candidates, including 90 independents, contending. Prominent candidates include CPI(M)'s Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, Congress's Ghulam Ahmad Mir, and PDP's Sartaj Madni. The elections are being held under stringent security measures to ensure peaceful polling, a significant contrast to the region's historically tumultuous electoral process. This election is seen as crucial for the political future of the Union Territory following its reorganization.