From the breathtaking peaks of the Pir Panjal range to the hot and humid plains of Kathua, a rich tapestry of diverse communities such as the Gujjars, Kashmiri Pandits and Dogras are poised to cast their votes in the Jammu region in the Assembly elections on September 18, September 25 and October 1.
In the 10 years since the last elections, the political landscape has changed dramatically. The erstwhile state was reconstituted as a Union Territory in 2019, a move that was welcomed by some communities in the Jammu region for “recognising their rights, and for diluting Kashmir’s dominance in the polity”.
Post delimitation in 2022, the Jammu region has 43 Assembly constituencies, up from 37. The Kashmir region got an additional seat, taking the number to 47.