J&K Election Result Highlights: NC-Cong alliance wins 49 seats; BJP wins 29

J&K Election Result LIVE: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) Vice President Omar Abdullah won both Budgam and Ganderbal seats in the assembly elections. (ANI Photo)

J&K Election Result Highlights: The counting of votes for the 90 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir concluded on Tuesday, with the National Conference-Congress alliance securing 49 seats. This marks the final stage of an electoral process that will provide an elected government after a gap of six years, following the collapse of the PDP-BJP regime on June 20, 2018, and the subsequent abrogation of Article 370. The majority mark is 46.

The first assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir since 2014 were held in three phases. The initial phase held on September 18 saw voting for 24 seats, followed by the second phase on September 25, covering 26 seats. The third phase, for the remaining 40 seats, occurred on October 1. Follow assembly election results LIVE here.

The main contenders in the highly anticipated election are the Congress-National Conference alliance, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This election also comes five years after Jammu and Kashmir was split into two union territories—Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Commenting on the potential of a post-election alliance, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah said on Monday that his party is open to collaborating with Mehbooba Mufti's PDP if necessary to form the government in the region.

Abdullah also criticised the move to grant the Lieutenant Governor the authority to nominate members to the five reserved seats in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly, stating that his party would challenge the decision in the Supreme Court if the BJP-led central government proceeds with it. Adding the five nominated members would take the strength of the Assembly to 95, making the majority mark 48.

Election Commission officials have implemented a three-tier security arrangement at all counting centres to ensure smooth proceedings in the volatile border union territory, which has long been a hotspot for tensions and has experienced frequent instances of terrorism, insurgency, and cross-border infiltration.

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Heavy security arrangements have been put in place at all 20 counting centres and district headquarters across Jammu and Kashmir for Tuesday’s vote count.

J&K Election Result: Parties and seats won/leading

NC-Congress: 49

BJP: 27

Others: 9

More on the elections in Jammu and Kashmir:

• Exit polls released on Saturday place the NC-Congress alliance in the lead, with the regional party expected to secure most seats.
• The BJP is predicted to slightly improve its performance from the 2014 assembly elections, where it won 25 seats, while the PDP, which won 28 seats a decade ago, is expected to secure fewer than 10 seats this time.
• According to the exit polls, newly emerging parties, such as the People's Conference, Apni Party, Democratic Azad Party led by Ghulam Nabi Azad, and the Awami Ittehad Party of Lok Sabha member Sheikh Abdul Rashid, are unlikely to make significant gains. Along with independents, these parties are projected to win a combined total of around 10 seats.
• Among the key contests is Gandebral, where Omar Abdullah of the National Conference is running against Independent candidate Sarjan Ahmad Wagay. In Bijbehara, Iltija Mufti of the PDP has been fielded.
• Sopore features Aijaz Ahmad Guroo, brother of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, who is contesting as an Independent. In Channapora, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari from the JKAP is in the race. Baramulla sees Muzaffar Hussain Baig contesting as an Independent.
• Kupwara has Sajad Lone from the People's Conference, while Handwara also has Sajad Lone from the People's Conference, along with Chaudhary Mohammad Ramzan.