Over Independents 40% in fray in phase-I of polls

CIDE IN the first Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir since Article 370 abrogation, the independents are trying their luck in good numbers.

- FAYAZ WANI

Over 40% candidates in the first of threephase of Assembly polls due on September 18 are independent candidates.

A total of 219 candidates are in fray for the first phase the campaigning for which came to an end today. In the first phase, 18 out of 47 Assembly seats in Kashmir and 8 out of 43 Assembly seats in Jammu region would go to the polls.

Of the 16 seats in the Valley, 155 candidates are in the fray. Of the 155 candidates, a large chunk of 67 candidates are independents.