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• The Aam Aadmi Party registered its first victory in assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday when its candidate Mehraj Malik defeated his nearest rival from the BJP in Doda constituency by a margin of over 4,538 votes.
  
• Malik, a District Development Council (DDC) member, polled 23,228 votes against BJP's Gajay Singh Rana's 18,690 votes.
• In Inderwal, independent candidate Payare Lal Sharma defeated veteran leader Gulam Mohammad Saroori by a narrow margin of 643 votes.
  
• Sharma polled 14,195 votes, while Saroori, who was also contesting as an independent candidate, received 13,552 votes.
  
• In Bani, independent candidate Dr. Rameshwar Singh defeated BJP candidate and former MLA Jewan Lal by 2,048 votes. Singh secured 18,672 votes, while Lal polled 16,624 votes.
  
• In the Surankote assembly segment, independent candidate and National Conference rebel Choudhary Mohammad Akram defeated Congress candidate Mohammad Shahnawaz with a margin of 8,851 votes.
  
• Akram polled 34,201 votes.
• Former minister Sham Lal Sharma won from Jammu north seat by a margin of 27,363 votes against his nearest rival and former minister from National Conference Ajay Sadhotra. Sharma polled 47,219 votes.
  
• Two-time MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia, who joined the BJP last year, won elections from Chenani segment, defeating his nearest rival and former minister Harsh Dev Singh by a margin of 15,611 votes. Singh, who heads National Panthers Party (India), is the cousin of Mankotia who polled 47,990 votes.
  
• BJP spokesperson Ranbir Singh Pathania overcame stiff resistance from party rebel Pawan Khajuria to register his victory by a margin of 23,49 votes from Udhampur East. Pathania.
  
• BJP candidates Arvind Gupta and Satish Kumar Sharma won from Jammu West and Billawar segments by 22,127 votes and 21,388 votes, respectively.
  
• NC vice president Omar Abdullah wins Budgam seat, defeats PDP's Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi by more than 18,000 votes: Election Commission.
  
• National Conference (NC) leader and former minister Sakina Masood won her third assembly election from D H Pora seat in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, defeating her PDP rival Gulzar Ahmad Dar by over 17,000 votes.
  
• Masood, alias Sakina Itto, secured 36,623 votes, 17,449 more than Dar's 19,174.
  
• National Conference (NC) leader Tanvir Sadiq won the Zadibal seat in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, defeating the People's Conference's Abid Hussain Ansari by more than 16,000 votes, according to the Election Commission.
  
• Sadiq, who is the chief spokesperson of his party, has secured 22,189 votes, while Ansari got 6,016 votes.
  
• All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir on Tuesday took an unassailable lead of more than 27,000 votes against his PDP rival in the Dooru assembly seat in Jammu and Kashmir.
  
• According to Election Commission of India, Mir, a former minister, has secured 41,345 votes against the PDP's Mohammad Ashraf Malik who has polled 13,731 votes.
  
• Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Tariq Karra on Tuesday secured an unassailable lead over National Conference rebel Irfan Shah in Central Shalteng assembly segment, according to the Election Commission website.
  
• At the end of the 13th round of counting, Karra had secured 18,892 votes as against Shah's 4,523 votes, a lead of 14,369 votes.
  
• National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah secured an unassailable lead of over 16,000 votes against PDP candidate Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam seat.
  
• With just one round of counting to go, Abdullah secured 32,344 votes which was 16,294 more than Mehdi's 16,050 votes.
  
• Former Rajya Sabha member and PDP candidate from the Kupwara assembly seat Mohammad Fayaz has taken an unassailable lead over his nearest rival and National Conference provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani.
  
• People's Conference president Sajad Gani Lone, who is also in the fray from this seat apart from contesting from the Handwara seat, was a distant third, trailing Fayaz by more than 19,000 votes.
  
• Wani has secured 17,513 votes.
  
• The National Conference-Congress alliance is likely to form government in Jammu and Kashmir with poll trends on Tuesday showing the combine ahead in 51 of the 90 seats while the BJP was leading in 28.
  
• The National Conference and BJP have so far bagged two seats each.
  
• Trends uploaded by the Election Commission showed that the PDP was ahead in two seats in the Union territory, Peoples Conference of Sajad Gani Lone was ahead in two seats while the Independents are leading in six seats.
  
• The National Conference was leading in 43 while its ally Congress was ahead in seven seats, the trends showed.
  
• NC youth president Salman Sagar wins Hazratbal seat, defeats PDP leader and former minister Asiea Naqash by more than 10,000 votes: EC.
  
• National Conference leader Nazir Ahmad Khan won the Gurez assembly seat for a fourth time in a row, defeating the BJP's Faqeer Mohammad Khan by a margin of 1,132 votes, according to the Election Commission. Nazir Ahmad Khan has got 8,378 votes while his BJP rival has managed 7,246 votes.
  
• Jammu & Kashmir Assembly election result trends according to Election Commission of India website: National Conference leads in 43 seats, BJP in 28, Congress in 7, PDP in 2, Jammu & Kashmir People Conference in 1, CPM in 1, Aam Aadmi Party in 1, Independents in 7.
  
• NC leader Nazir Ahmad Khan wins Gurez (ST) seat in J-K by defeating BJP's Faqeer Mohammad Khan by a margin of 1,132 votes.
  
• EC declares first result in Jammu and Kashmir, BJP's Darshan Kumar defeats Cong's Choudhary Lal Singh from Basholi in Jammu's Kathua district.
  
• The National Conference-Congress alliance is likely to form government in Jammu and Kashmir with poll trends on Tuesday showing the combine ahead in 51 of the 90 seats while the BJP was leading in 26.
  
• The National Conference was leading in 41 while its ally Congress was ahead in 10 seats, the trends showed.
• In the Banihal segment, former Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress president Vikar Rasool Wani is trailing NC candidate Sajad Saheen, who has polled 15,809 votes. Wani has got 9,885 votes.
• Former MP and Congress candidate Choudhary Lal Singh is trailing the BJP' Darshan Lal in the Basholi seat.
  
• Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (India) president Harsh Dev Singh is trailing by a margin of 8,863 against BJP candidate and his cousin Balwant Singh Mankotia in the Chenani seat.
  
• BJP candidate Shagun Parihar is leading over her nearest rival and NC candidate Sajjad Kitchloo in the Kishtwar seat. She has polled 5,899 votes.
  
• Jammu & Kashmir Assembly election result trends according to Election Commission of India website: National Conference leads in 41 seats, BJP in 26, Congress in 10, PDP in 4, Jammu & Kashmir People Conference in 2, CPM in 1, Independents in 6.
  
• Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina is trailing in the Nowshera assembly constituency, while former Deputy chief minister and Congress candidate Tara Chand is behind his rivals in the Chhamb seat, according to the Election Commission website.
  
• Former J&K Congress Chief Vikar Rasool Wani is also trailing from Banihal.
  
• According to the trends available on the Election Commission website around 10.45 am, the J-K BJP chief has polled 5,142 votes and is trailing the National Conference's Surinder Choudhary by 7,721 votes.
  
• Jammu & Kashmir Assembly election result trends according to Election Commission of India website: National Conference leads in 39 seats, BJP in 28, Congress in 8, PDP in 4, Jammu & Kashmir People Conference in 2, CPM in 1 and Independents in 8.
• National Conference leader Omar Abdullah is leading on both Budgam and Ganderbal seats, while Iltija Mufti of the PDP is trailing from Srigufwara-Biejbehara seat, according to initial trends.
  
• People's Conference president Sajad Lone, who is also contesting from two seats, is leading in Handwara seat by a slender margin of 390 votes, while trailing in Kupwara segment, according to Election Commission trends for Jammu and Kashmir.
  
• In Budgam, Abdullah is leading by 1,400 votes while he is leading by 622 votes in Ganderbal.
• Iltija Mufti, the daughter of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, is trailing by more than 1,842 votes against NC's Bashir Ahmad Veeri.
  
• Sheikh Khursheed, brother of Lok Sabha member Shiekh Abdul Rashid, is trailing by 455 votes behind People's Conference candidate Irfan Sultan Panditpuri.
  
• Apni Party founder Altaf Bukhari is also trailing in Chanapora constituency where NC's Mushtaq Guroo has taken lead.
  
• Jammu and Kashmir Assembly result trends according to Election Commission of India website: National Conference leading in 40, BJP in 23, Congress in 8, Jammu & Kashmir People Conference in 3, PDP in 2, CPM in 1, Democratic Progressive Azad Party in 1, and Independents in 9
  
• The National Conference-Congress alliance has taken lead on 46 seats in Jammu and Kashmir, while the BJP is leading on 23 seats, according to initial trends.
  
• Trends uploaded by the Election Commission showed that the PDP was ahead in three seats in the Union territory while the Independents are leading on eight seats.
  
• The National Conference was leading in 39 seats while its ally Congress was ahead in seven seats, according to trends uploaded by the Election Commission for 64 of the 90 seats.
  
• Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), CPI(M), Peoples Conference and Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) are also leading on one seat each.
• JK BJP chief Ravinder Raina trailing in Nowshera constituency, NC'S Surinder Kumar leading by 2,797 votes: Election Commission.
  
• The National Conference-Congress alliance has taken lead on 40 seats in Jammu and Kashmir, while the BJP is leading on 20 seats, according to initial trends.
  
• Trends uploaded by the Election Commission showed that the PDP was ahead in two seats in the Union territory while the Independents are leading on four seats.
  
• The National Conference was leading in 33 seats while its ally Congress was ahead in seven seats.
  
• Prominent among those leading are National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah, Pradesh Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra, AICC general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir and CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami and BJP’s former minister Sham Lal Sharma.
  
• Trends from counting of votes show former deputy CM and Cong candidate Tara Chand trailing Independent Satish Sharma in Chhamb.
  
• NC leading on 25 seats in J-K, ally Cong on 6; BJP ahead in 18 seats: ECI.

• Jammu & Kashmir Assembly election result trends according to Election Commission of India website: National Conference leads in 41 seats, BJP in 26, Congress in 10, PDP in 4, Jammu & Kashmir People Conference in 2, CPM in 1, Independents in 6.

• Jammu & Kashmir Assembly election result trends according to Election Commission of India website: National Conference leads in 41 seats, BJP in 26, Congress in 10, PDP in 4, Jammu & Kashmir People Conference in 2, CPM in 1, Independents in 6.

• Jammu & Kashmir Assembly election result trends according to Election Commission of India website: National Conference leads in 41 seats, BJP in 26, Congress in 10, PDP in 4, Jammu & Kashmir People Conference in 2, CPM in 1, Independents in 6.

• Jammu & Kashmir Assembly election result trends according to Election Commission of India website: National Conference leads in 41 seats, BJP in 26, Congress in 10, PDP in 4, Jammu & Kashmir People Conference in 2, CPM in 1, Independents in 6.

• Jammu & Kashmir Assembly election result trends according to Election Commission of India website: National Conference leads in 41 seats, BJP in 26, Congress in 10, PDP in 4, Jammu & Kashmir People Conference in 2, CPM in 1, Independents in 6.

• Jammu & Kashmir Assembly election result trends according to Election Commission of India website: National Conference leads in 41 seats, BJP in 26, Congress in 10, PDP in 4, Jammu & Kashmir People Conference in 2, CPM in 1, Independents in 6.

• Jammu & Kashmir Assembly election result trends according to Election Commission of India website: National Conference leads in 41 seats, BJP in 26, Congress in 10, PDP in 4, Jammu & Kashmir People Conference in 2, CPM in 1, Independents in 6.

• Jammu & Kashmir Assembly election result trends according to Election Commission of India website: National Conference leads in 41 seats, BJP in 26, Congress in 10, PDP in 4, Jammu & Kashmir People Conference in 2, CPM in 1, Independents in 6.

• National Conference leader Omar Abdullah is leading on both Budgam and Ganderbal seats, while Iltija Mufti of the PDP is trailing from Srigufwara-Biejbehara seat, according to initial trends.

The counting of votes began on Tuesday for 90 Assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, the final leg of an electoral journey that will give the union territory its first elected government since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

The counting of votes commenced at 8 am amid a three-tier security cover at 28 centres set up across 20 districts of the union territory, an election official said.

A clear picture of trends is expected by afternoon, the official said.

The Congress-National Conference alliance, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are the main stakeholders in the keenly watched assembly election held five years after the erstwhile state was bifurcated into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

J and K Chief Electoral Officer P. K. Pole said adequate checkpoints were set up within 100 metres of each counting centre and CCTV cameras were installed in all strong rooms housing the EVMs to closely monitor all activities.

“Unauthorised individuals will be restricted from entering these areas and CCTV cameras have been installed at the main entrance and throughout the entire premises of the counting centres to ensure comprehensive monitoring," Pole said.

Pole said the postal ballots will be counted first, followed by the counting of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) after 30 minutes, adding that accurate information on each round of counting will be uploaded promptly.

The official said two counting centres each have been set up for Kupwara, Samba, Jammu, Udhampur and Reasi districts, one counting centre each for Srinagar, Ganderbal, Budgam, Baramulla, Bandipora, Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama, Shopian, Rajouri, Poonch, Kathua, Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban districts while three counting centres have been set up for migrants.

Various observers have been appointed by the Election Commission to monitor the counting process, Pole said, adding that only authorised individuals, officials and staff were permitted inside and around the counting centres.

Public and political party representatives are requested not to crowd the counting centres and check the results at home, he said.

The first assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir since 2014 were held over three phases, registering 64 per cent voter turnout.

Of the 90 seats in the Kashmir Valley and Jammu region, 24 voted in the first phase on September 18, as many as 26 voted in the second phase on September 25, and 40 in the third phase on October 1.

The counting will decide the fate of 873 candidates vying for a seat in the 90-member house.

Prominent figures among those in the fray are NC leader Omar Abdullah (from Budgam and Ganderbal), Sajad Gani Lone of People's Conference (from Handwara and Kupwara seats), Pradesh Congress Committee president Tariq Hamid Karra (Batamaloo) and BJP state president Ravindra Raina (Nowshera seat).

The other notable contestants are AICC General Secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir (Dooru), PDP leaders Waheed Para (Pulwama), Iltija Mufti (Bijbehara), Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari (Chanapora), CPI (M) veteran Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami (Kulgam), and former deputy chief ministers Muzaffar Hussain Baig and Tara Chand.

The exit polls on Saturday put the NC-Congress alliance in pole position with the regional party getting the lion's share of the seats.

The BJP is expected to slightly improve its tally of 25 seats won in the 2014 assembly polls while the PDP, which got 28 seats in the polls held 10 years ago, is predicted to win less than 10 seats this time.

If the exit polls are to be believed, new and emerging parties, including the People's Conference, Apni Party, Democratic Azad Party of Ghulam Nabi Azad and Awami Ittehad Party of Lok Sabha member Sheikh Abdul Rashid, do not stand much of a chance.

These parties along with independents are expected to win around 10 seats.

In a post on X, Omar wished his colleagues and allies the “very best of luck for today”.

“We fought the good fight and now, InshaAllah (God willing), the results will reflect that,” Omar said.

J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina performed "havan" at a temple in Jammu ahead of the counting of votes.