Jammu and Kashmir Local Body Polls to be Held in Four Phases From October 8, Counting on October 20: Election Commission

"With this announcement, Model Code of Conduct comes into force in the state."

New Delhi: The forthcoming urban local body elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in four phases from October 8 to 16, state Chief Electoral Officer Shaleen Kabra said on Saturday.

“Date of polling would be October 08, 10, 13 and 16. Counting shall take place on October 20 after all the phases are over. Poll hours will be from 7 AM to 2 PM,”Kabra said, while addressing a press conference in Srinagar.

Municipal Elections shall be held in 4 phases. Date of polling would be Oct 08, Oct 10, Oct 13 & Oct 16. Counting shall take place on Oct 20 after all the phases are over. Poll hours will be from 7am to 2pm: Chief Electoral Officer Shaleen Kabra #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/wqUYbIOo1K

— ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2018

Furthermore he added, “With this announcement, Model Code of Conduct comes into force in the state.” Earlier, the municipal elections in the state were slated to start from October 1.

Notably, the dates were announced days after PDP and NC said that they will boycott the elections until the Centre clears its stand on Article 35-A, which gives special rights to the people in the state and bars outsiders from owning immovable property.

The Supreme Court had on August 31 deferred the hearing on a bunch of petitions challenging Article 35A of the Constitution, as the Centre had urged the court to take up the matter after panchayat elections in the state.