2002 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election

2002 Jammu and Kashmir state assembly elections
← 1996 16 September 2002 to 8 October 2002 2008 →
all 87 seats in Legislative Assembly
44 seats needed for a majority
Registered6,165,285
Turnout43.70% (Decrease10.22%)
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Farooq Abdullah Ghulam Nabi Azad Mufti Mohammad Sayeed
Party JKNC INC JKPDP
Last election 57 7 -
Seats won 28 20 16
Seat change Decrease 29 Increase 13 Increase 16
Percentage 28.24% 24.24% 9.28%
Swing Decrease 6.54% Increase 4.24% Increase 9.28%
  Fourth party Fifth party
 
Leader Bhim Singh
Party JKNPP BJP
Last election 1 8
Seats won 4 1
Seat change Increase 3 Decrease 7
Percentage 3.83% 8.57%
Swing Increase 1.58% Decrease 3.56%
Chief Minister before election

Farooq Abdullah
JKNC

Elected Chief Minister

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed
PDP
(in coalition with the INC and JKNPP)

Elections for the former Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir were held in September -October 2002 in four phases.[1][2]

Jammu & Kashmir National Conference was the single largest party but lacked majority. The Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the Indian National Congress (Congress) formed a coalition government with PDP's Mufti Mohammad Sayeed serving as the Chief Minister for the first three years and Congress's Ghulam Nabi Azad for the next three years. The election saw a major boycott at the appeal of Tehreek -e-Hurriyat.Kashmir division had a voting percentage of 3.5% while Jammu division had a voting percentage of 16.5%.Rajouri district recorded the least voting percentage at 2.7%[3][4] The Panthers Party formed part of the ruling coalition with Harsh Dev Singh as the party's first cabinet minister.[5]

Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were used for first time in Jammu Kashmir assembly elections in 2002.[6] The international community also appreciated the credibility of the elections and the results that followed it. The elections was seen as a victory of the ballot over the bullet.[7][8] United States lauded 2002 elections of the state.[9][10] There were 1.7 million voters in the state for 2002 elections.[11][12]

  1. ^ "rediff.com: J&K election in four phases on Sep 16, 24, Oct 1, 8". www.rediff.com.
  2. ^ "Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Election Results in 2002". www.elections.in.
  3. ^ "Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections 2002: Ending National Conference's Reign". www.jammu-kashmir.com. Archived from the original on 12 May 2013. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  4. ^ Hussain, Aijaz (14 November 2005). "Ghulam Nabi Azad becomes first Congress CM of Jammu & Kashmir in 30 years". India Today. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  5. ^ "Sayeed sworn-in as J&K chief minister". Rediff. 2 November 2002. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  6. ^ "rediff.com: Polling station for just 11 voters in Zanskar constituency". www.rediff.com.
  7. ^ "rediff.com: 47.2% polling recorded in first phase of J&K poll". www.rediff.com.
  8. ^ "rediff.com: 44 per cent turnout in 1st phase of J&K polls". www.rediff.com.
  9. ^ "rediff.com: Infiltration across LoC has increased: US". www.rediff.com.
  10. ^ "rediff.com: Jammu and Kashmir Elections 2002: Headlines". www.rediff.com.
  11. ^ "rediff.com: J&K electoral rolls not '100 per cent accurate'". www.rediff.com.
  12. ^ "rediff.com: Sonia calls for a final solution to Kashmir problem". www.rediff.com.