NEW DELHI: People's Democratic Party (PDP) candidate from Pulwama Assembly constituency Waheed Para said that people want to change and this election process is to "reclaim whatever we have lost."

Speaking to ANI, Para alleged that Pulwama has been stigmatised and expressed his hope in a possible change. "Pulwama has been stigmatized. This is an election for us to reclaim the image of Pulwama, the youth of Pulwama, and the people of Pulwama and we are optimistic.

We want people to come out in this election and vote for peace, progress, development and dignity of J&K. Voting is an act of self-preservance for all of us. People have lost so much in the last 6-7 years.

So people want to change and this voting is to reclaim whatever we have lost," Waheed Para said. The polling stations in Pulwama witnessed long queues since morning.

PDP spokesperson Mohit Ban said that queues formed during the polls are the testimony of the decisions that Delhi took on August 5, 2019, and the way they have been inhumane to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

"The queues formed during the polls are the testimony of the decisions that Delhi took on August 5, 2019, and the way they were inhumane to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Once these queues end and the results are out on October 8, you will see the verdict of the people is against the decision of 5th August 2019," Bhan said.

Polling for the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections began at 7 am today amid tight security arrangements. The voting will conclude at 6 pm. Long queue of voters were seen at polling stations from the morning.

In the first-phase, 24 assembly constituencies across the Union Territory are voting today, that includes 16 seats in the Kashmir region and 8 seats in the Jammu region.

Voting for the second and third phase in J-K will be held on September 25 and October 1, respectively. Vote counting will be held on October 8.