Jammu and Kashmir polls are history in the making: CEC Rajiv Kumar

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Wednesday described the ongoing Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir as 'history in the making', noting long queues of voters at polling stations where boycotts were once called. The second phase of polling, covering 26 seats, saw over 46% turnout by 3 p.m. and proceeded peacefully, according to officials.

Kumar said 100% CCTV coverage was in place for this phase. He praised voters, including youngsters, women, and senior citizens, for patiently waiting to cast their votes. 'It is a festival of democracy,' he said, adding that voting is taking place in areas where it did not happen earlier and that the impact of this election will be felt for a long time.

The CEC made the remarks in New Delhi alongside fellow election commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu. The elections in the Union Territory are being held after a decade-long gap.