Handwara Assembly Election 2024: Jammu and Kashmir is scheduled to hold its first Assembly elections next month after the Centre revoked Article 370 in 2019. The Election Commission announced three phases of voting for its 90 constituencies-- wherein the first round will be held on September 18. The next two phases will be held on September 25 and October 1. The results will be announced on October 8. Handwara, often dubbed the "hot seat", is located in the Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir. In the past decade, the constituency has witnessed fiery political shifts. The Handwara Assembly constituency is one of the 90 constituencies in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. It is constituency number 5 of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. The constituency is a general seat not reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). Handwara is one of the Assembly seats of Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district. It is one of the Assembly seats comprising the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency. COMPLETE COVERAGE OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR ELECTIONS
The Jammu and Kashmir People Conference (JKPC), the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) and the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (JKPDP) are the main parties in the constituency. The JKPC's Sajad Gani Lone won the Handwara constituency in 2014. Lone's father Abdul Gani Lone represented the seat thrice in 1967, 1972 and 1977. In 2008, the JKNC's Chowdry Mohamad Ramzan won the constituency for the fourth time. In the 2002 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, Independent candidate Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Sofi defeated the JKNC's Chowdry Mohamad Ramzan and Janata Dal-United (JDU) candidate Bashir Ahmad Bara. In 1996, 1987 and 1983, the JKNC's Chowdry Mohamad Ramzan won the constituency.
Handwara Assembly Constituency Demographic Profile
As per data from the Election Commission, there were 89,983 voters in the Handwara constituency during the 2014 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections. Out of this, 46,654 voters were male and 43,329 were female. No voter belonged to the third gender. 93 postal votes were cast in the constituency. The number of service voters in Handwara in 2014 was 54 (52 were men and 2 were women).
In 2008, the total number of voters in the Handwara constituency was 76,316. Out of this, 39,872 voters were male and 36,444 were female. There were 32 postal votes in the constituency. The number of service voters in Handwara in 2008 was 62 (59 were men and 3 were women).
Handwara Legislative Assembly Constituency Elections 2024: Poll Date
The Handwara constituency in Jammu and Kashmir will go to the polls in the third phase on October 1, along with the other 39 constituencies of the UT, including Baramulla and Uri.
Handwara Legislative Assembly Constituency Elections 2024: Result Date
The result for Handwara will be declared on October 8, along with the other 89 constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir.
Handwara Jammu and Kashmir Constituency Assembly Election 2024 Candidates
Jammu and Kashmir People Conference's (JKPC) Sajad Gani Lone, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference's (JKNC) Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party's (JKPDP) Gauhar Azad Mir and Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Ghulam Mohammad Mir are the main candidates in the Handwara seat. The Congress is in an alliance with the JKNC.
Handwara Constituency 2014 and 2008 Winners (Candidates and Parties)
In the 2014 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections, JKPC candidate Sajad Gani Lone won the seat with a margin of 5,423 votes. He was polled 29,355 votes with a vote share of 43.19%. He defeated JKNC candidate Chowdry Mohamad Ramzan, who got 23,932 votes (35.21%). Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (JKPDP) candidate Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Sofi stood third with 9,849 votes (14.49%), and Congress candidate Mohd Yaseen Bhat was in the fourth position with just 1,119 votes (1.65%). The total number of votes polled was 67,974 (75.54%).
In the 2008 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections, JKNC candidate Chowdry Mohamad Ramzan won the seat. He was polled 27,907 votes with a vote share of 48.38%. Independent candidate Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Sofi got 16,317 votes (28.29%) and was the runner-up. Ramzan defeated Sofi by a margin of 11,590 votes. The total number of votes polled in this constituency was 57,693 (75.60%). Independent candidate Mohd Yaseen Bhat came in third with 4,825 votes (8.37%), and JKPDP candidate Ghulam Mohd Mir was in the fourth position with 3,471 votes (6.02%).
Handwara Assembly Constituency Past Winners
- 1977: Abdul Gani Lone (Janata Party)
- 1983: Chowdry Mohamad Ramzan (JKNC)
- 1987: Chowdry Mohamad Ramzan (JKNC)
- 1996: Chowdry Mohamad Ramzan (JKNC)
- 2002: Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Sofi (Independent)
- 2008: Chowdry Mohamad Ramzan (JKNC)
- 2014: Sajad Gani Lone (JKPC)
Handwara Constituency Voter Turnout in 2014 and 2008
The total number of votes polled during the 2014 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections was 67,974 or 75.54% in the Handwara Legislative Assembly Constituency. In 2008, the total number of votes polled in this Assembly seat was 57,693, or 75.60%.
