The Udhampur constituency will go to polls in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 19, the first general elections in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370. Jammu and Kashmir will send five MPs to the Lok Sabha, the elections for which will be held in five phases.

The state of Jammu and Kashmir was reorganized into a union territory in October 2019. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act 2019 was passed in 2019, and Article 370 of the Constitution of India, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was abrogated.

The central government had in August 2019 abrogated Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into two Union Territories (UTs), Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

The BJP has fielded Union Minister Jitendra Singh from Udhampur who has been representing the constituency since 2014. Singh had defeated former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad from Udhampur in 2014.

The Congress has fielded Choudhary Lal Singh from Udhampur. Lal Singh returned to the party six years after he was forced to resign following his participation in a rally held in support of the Kathua rape accused, in which a child was raped. The Peoples Democratic Party, partner in the INDIA bloc, has extended their support to Lal Singh.

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a huge statement during his recent visit to Udhampur, said that the day is not far when Jammu and Kashmir will get back its statehood and assembly elections will be held there. “The time is not far when assembly elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir also. Jammu and Kashmir will get back its state status. You will be able to share your dreams with your MLAs, and your ministers,” PM Modi said while addressing a public rally in Udhampur.

The Prime Minister said that in the last decade, Jammu and Kashmir have completely changed as roads, electricity, water, travel, and migration, all have become available here. He pointed out that now after decades, elections were taking place in Jammu and Kashmir without fear of terrorism and cross-border firing.

Earlier, elections for the District Development Councils (DDCs) were held in Jammu-Kashmir in 2020. BJP emerged as the single-largest party with 74 seats. While, the People`s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), led by Farooq Abdullah`s National Conference won 110 seats.

In another notable point, this election will take place following the two important bills: the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

While the former legislation makes changes in the constituencies of the UT, the latter provides for reservation in jobs and professional institutions to members of SC, ST, and other socially and educationally backward classes.

The first bill has redrawn the boundaries of Anantnag and Jammu seats. The Pir Panjal region, which comprises Poonch and Rajouri, was previously a part of the Jammu seat but has now been added to the Anantnag seat in Kashmir. Similarly, another region in Srinagar constituency has been transferred to the Baramulla constituency.

Earlier, there were six seats for J-K, including Ladakh. But, following the abrogation of Article 370 by the Parliament, Ladakh does not have a Lok Sabha constituency. In the 2019 elections, BJP won three seats while the National Conference won the other three seats.

This is also the first election after the Supreme Court ruling last year which upheld the Parliament`s decision to abrogate Article 370 and bifurcate the state into two union territories. The apex court also asked the Election Commission of India to hold the next assembly elections in J&K before September 30, 2024.

At a time when the Central government is working to promote the `Naya Kashmir` citing the range of infrastructural development and welfare schemes and the reduction in terrorism, the J&K will undergo the first general elections commencing from Udhampur. 

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