The notification for the first phase of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir has been issued by the Election Commission of India today. Akashvani Jammu Correspondent reports that twenty four Assembly constituencies in Pulwama, Anantnag, Shopian, Kulgam, Ramban, Kishtwar and Doda districts will go to the polls in the first phase of elections where voting will take place on September 18. There are total 90 assembly constituencies which will go for poll in three phases.

The Election Commission of India issued the election notification after the Lieutenant Governor, in a separate notification, called upon each of these 24 constituencies to elect members of Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly in accordance with the provisions of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951. The poll body issued notification for Pampore, Tral, Pulwama, Rajpora, Zainapora, Shopian, D.H Pora, Kulgam, Devsar, Dooru, Kokernag (ST), Anantnag West, Anantnag, Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Shangus-Anantnag East, Pahalgam, Inderwal, Kishtwar, Padder-Nagseni, Bhadarwah, Doda, Doda West, Ramban and Banihal assembly seats. As per the notification, the candidates can file nomination papers for these seats till August 27 while scrutiny of the nominations will be taken up on August 28. The poll body has fixed August 30 as the last date for withdrawal of candidature. The final electoral rolls for the Assembly elections in the Union Territory are likely to be issued today, with the number of voters expected to be close to 90 lakhs.