High security is in place for tomorrow’s election in the well-known Udhampur LS seat

In the well-known Udhampur Lok Sabha seat, paramilitary troops have been deployed in force. On Friday, more than 16.23 million voters will cast ballots to choose 12 candidates.

Due to security concerns, the five Lok Sabha seats in Jammu & Kashmir will each have separate elections.

In the Udhampur constituency, a total of 2,637 polling places have been set up. A few booths are located in the snow-covered mountainous regions of Kishtwar, Bhaderwah, Doda, Ramban, and Banihal, while others are close to the fence along the India-Pakistan border in the plains of the Kathua district that touches Punjab.

The primary contenders in the race are Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, the BJP’s candidate, Chaudhary Lal Singh of the Congress, and GM Saroori of the DPAP.

Helicopters have previously been used to ferry paramilitary personnel and poll workers into remote parts of the constituency.

There are eighteen Assembly segments in the Udhampur Parliamentary Constituency, which are spread throughout five hilly districts: Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban, Udhampur, and Kathua.

Covering a vast area of 16,707 square kilometers, the district is home to 16,23,195 eligible voters, a diversified population. 845,283 men, 777,899 women, and 13 voters of a third gender are among them, demonstrating the inclusion of the democratic process.

With three Assembly segments (Inderwal, Kishtwar, and Padder Nagseni) in the Kishtwar district, a total of 175,897 electors—90256 males and 85641 females—are ready to exercise their right to vote.

Doda district supplies 305,093 voters to the electoral register, consisting of 1,57,375 male, 1,47,711 female, and 7 third gender electors. Doda district also has three Assembly Segments: Bhaderwah, Doda, and Doda West.

The Ramban district, which includes the Ramban and Banihal Assembly parts, has 219,124 registered voters, of which 1,13,814 are male and 1,05,301 are female.

There are 4,19,854 voters in the Udhampur District, which is made up of the four Assembly segments of Udhampur West, Udhampur East, Chenani, and Ramnagar. Of them, 2,19,890 are male and 1,99,964 are female.

With six Assembly segments—Bani, Billawar, Basohli, Jasrota, Kathua, and Hiranagar—the Kathua district is expected to have a high turnout of 5,03,227 registered voters, including 2,63,948 males, 2,39,273 women, and six electors of a third gender.

Throughout the constituency, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has established 2,637 polling places, including 405 in Kishtwar, 529 in Doda, 348 in Ramban, 654 in Udhampur, and 701 in Kathua District, to ensure a smooth voting process.

The ECI has deployed 3,658 ballot units, 3,570 control units, and 3,636 VVPATs (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) to guarantee the accuracy and integrity of the electoral process in keeping with its commitment to fair and transparent elections.

In addition, 1,472 polling places will have webcasting capabilities installed in order to increase democratic process openness.

District Election Officer (DEO) Dr. Rakesh Minhas launched a Model Polling Station in Hiranagar, Kathua district, close to the zero line of the Indo-Pakistan International Border, as part of a ground-breaking initiative to increase public knowledge and comprehension of the voting process.

Voters are invited to enjoy a festive environment at the Government High School Kadiyala, which is about 500 meters from the border barrier. The school has been turned into a lively hub decorated with Tricolor balloons.

The Model Polling Station also has a significant concentration of flowering plants, which enhances the area’s overall greenery.