Voting started in the first phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024 in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur parliamentary constituency on Friday with over 16.23 lakh electorate eligible to exercise their franchise. The polling began at 7 am in all 2,637 polling stations across the constituency despite pouring rain and will decide the fate of 12 candidates, including Union Minister Jitendra Singh who is eyeing a third term after winning the seat for BJP in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

This is the first major electoral battle after the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories on August 5, 2019. Prominent among others in the fray include Congress leader and two-time former Member of Parliament Choudhary Lal Singh and DPAP's G M Saroori besides Six independents.