Banihal Assembly Election 2024: Congress, NC in friendly contest, PDP hopes for win in triangular poll battle

Hot seats in Jammu-Kashmir Assembly Election 2024: The Banihal Assembly constituency is one of the 90 seats in Jammu and Kashmir. The polling at this seat is being held on September 18. Banihal constituency number is 56. Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party (JKPDP), Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are the main parties in this constituency. In the 2014 Assembly elections, Congress leader Vikar Rasool Wani won this seat by a margin of 4,349 (7.87%). He received 17,671 votes with a vote share of 30.65%. He defeated JKPDP candidate Bashir Ahmed Runyal, who received 13,322 votes ( 23.10%). 

Congress candidate Vikar Rasool Wani had also won this seat in the 2008 Assembly elections. In the 2008 Assembly elections, he received 8,287 votes with a vote share of 17.38%, while Congress candidate Showkat Javed received 5,254 votes (11.02%). Rasool defeated Javed by a margin of around 3,033 votes (6.36%).

1st phase of polling in Jammu-Kashmir

More than 23.27 lakh voters which include 11.76 lakh male voters and 11.51 lakh female voters and 60 third-gender electors are eligible to exercise their electoral franchise during the Phase-I of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections, scheduled to be held on September 18 (Wednesday). 

Registered voters in Banihal 

The Assembly constituency (56) Banihal had around 78,588 registered voters, including 42,636 males, 35,952 females, and there was no transgender voter in the constituency. To accommodate these voters, 97 polling stations were allocated within this constituency in the Assembly elections 2014.

In 2008, the constituency had around 70,186 registered voters, including 37,155 males, 33,031 females, and there was no transgender voter.

Key candidates fighting from Banihal 

Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party (JKPDP) candidate Imtiaz Ahmed Shan, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC)'s Sajad Shaheen, Congress leader Vikar Rasool Wani and Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Mohd Saleem Bhat are the key contestants from the Banihal seat. Interestingly, two allies - Congress and JKNC are locked horns in a friendly contest in the constituency.

Nomination filing process

In the Banihal, 10 candidates filed nominations in the election. Out of 10, two withdrew their nominations, while one was rejected.

Past winners on the seat and the parties

1st elections post abrogation of Article 370 

Notably, the Jammu and Kashimr 2024 Assembly elections is taking place after 10 years of President's Rule, following the abrogation of Article 370 (Special status). 

When will Banihal vote? 

The 2024 Assembly elections in Banihal are scheduled for September 18 (Wednesday). Jammu-Kashmir will go to the polls in three phases, on September 18, September 25 and October 1.