Voters in India’s troubled Jammu and Kashmir region turned out in large numbers on Wednesday amid tight security for the first regional parliamentary elections in a decade.
The region, which has seen years of separatist violence and is at the center of a conflict between India and Pakistan, has been under federal rule since the fall of a coalition government in 2018.
Elections are also being held for the first time since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party-led government revoked the former state’s partial autonomy in 2019 and bifurcated it into two federally administered territories: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The three-phase election that began on Wednesday saw long queues at polling stations.
People said they wanted peace and prosperity for Kashmir, but were also still shocked by the sudden manner in which their partial autonomy was revoked in August 2021.
Partial autonomy gave the region the right to have its own flag and constitution, as well as the exclusive right of Kashmiris to own land.
The dissolution was followed by months of repressive measures against protesters, including the arrest of politicians and activists and restrictions on freedom of movement and communication.
According to the Modi government, the measure is aimed at bringing the only Muslim-majority state on par with the rest of India and improving its development.
Elections for the 90-member regional legislative assembly are also scheduled for September 25 and October 1. Votes will be counted on October 8, with results expected the same day.
“I want a government which has our own people so that we can approach them easily and they understand our needs,” said Imran Ali, 32, from Pulwama as he waited to cast his vote. “We want peace, progress and dignity for Kashmir.”
Analysts say the power of an elected regional government is likely to be limited and the polls could produce a divided assembly.
The vote was peaceful and a high turnout of 60 percent was expected, said PK Pole, an election commission official.
The main players are the regional People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the National Conference Party (NCP) and national parties such as the BJP and the Indian National Congress Party. The NCP has formed an alliance with the Congress Party. Several separatists are also running as independent candidates.
Indian-administered Kashmir has been struggling with a secessionist movement since the mid-1980s, with nearly 48,000 people killed in violence that New Delhi says is backed by Pakistan. Islamabad denies the charge.
The former state consisted of Kashmir, a Muslim majority, Jammu, a Hindu majority, and Ladakh, a Buddhist majority.
There is strong anti-Indian sentiment in the Kashmir Valley, often resulting in clashes between protesters and Indian security forces, who are present in large numbers to keep the militancy in check.
