As vote counting for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections concludes, a fierce contest in Pulwama has seen Waheed ur Rehman Parra of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerge victorious, securing more than 8,000 votes against his opponent, Khalil Ahmad Bandh of the National Conference (NC). 

Key Candidates:

Waheed ur Rehman Parra represents the PDP, while the NC's Khalil Ahmad Bandh, a former PDP candidate who won the seat in 2014, is now contesting against Parra after switching allegiance post-abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The IND has fielded seven candidates, while AAP, NCP, and Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party have each fielded one candidate.

Electorate Size

Over 4.07 lakh voters have registered for this year's voting. In the last phase on September 5, Pulwama marked an improvement in voter turnout, reaching 46.99% compared to 46.05% in 2008. In the 2014 assembly elections, the turnout was 44.08%, while it was 41.59% in the Lok Sabha elections.

Local Issues:

The solid waste management project has stalled, leading to waste disposal issues around roads. Locals have reported that the municipal committee has been dumping waste near Government Degree College, causing distress for residents and students. Safety remains a major concern due to ongoing terrorist attacks. Additional issues regarding sports grounds, roads, electricity, and other essential services have also been raised recently.

2008 Assembly Election Win:

In the previous election, Bandh secured victory with 11,631 votes, achieving a vote share of 38.55% against Ghulam Nabi Wani of the NC, who garnered 10,599 votes (35.13%), a margin of just 1,032 votes.

As the 2024 exit polls loom, all eyes are on the shifting dynamics of this constituency, which could be indicative of broader trends in the Jammu and Kashmir elections.

Background of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections:

Recently, assembly elections were held in phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1. This election marks the first since the abrogation of Article 370. The Election Commission of India reported a noteworthy voter turnout of 63.88% in these elections. In this cycle, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference and Congress contested jointly as partners in the INDIA alliance, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fought independently.