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2014 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election

The 2014 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election was held in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir in five phases from 25 November – 20 December 2014. Voters elected 87 members to the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, which ends its six-year term on 19 January 2020. The results were declared on 23 December 2014.[1][2] Voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) along with EVMs were used in 3 assembly seats out of 87 in Jammu Kashmir elections.[3][4][5]

All 87 seats in Legislative Assembly
44 seats needed for a majority

7,316,946

65.91% (Increase4.75%)

This was the last assembly election before the territory's special status was revoked[6] and Ladakh separated as union territory in 2019.[7]

Background and campaign[edit]

Before the election, Indian National Congress broke its alliance with Jammu and Kashmir National Conference and contested on all seats in the assembly.[8]


Campaigning before the elections were aggressive and robust. Following the huge victory of Bharatiya Janata Party in the Indian parliamentary election, the BJP turned its attention towards J&K and campaigned on the promise of 'development'. This included a visit from the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi in support of the local BJP campaign.

Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani had appealed to people of Kashmir to boycott the 2014 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections completely, arguing that "India has been holding elections in the Valley using the power of the gun and so such an exercise is not legitimate." He added, "My appeal to the youth, in particular, is that the sacrifices rendered by the people must be safeguarded and, hence, in no way should vote during elections."[9][10]

All Parties Hurriyat Conference

Separatists were propagating the poll boycott campaign through video clips on social networking sites and applications, including and WhatsApp.[9]

Facebook

A four-minute video clip has gone viral on social sites with messages of chairmen of both hardline and moderate factions of Hurriyat Conference and Dukhtaran-e-Millat chief . The video message sent through WhatsApp and shared on Facebook and Twitter asked the people to boycott the coming polls.[9]

Asiya Andrabi

Video also showed Hurriyat hawk addressing a gathering via phone urging youth not to undermine the mission of 'martyrs'. Moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is seen posing for the camera with the appeal that polls must be boycotted 'en masse'.[9]

Syed Ali Shah Geelani

Despite these calls, voter turnout in the 2014 elections instead increased by 4%, from roughly 61% in the previous election to 65%.

Elections in Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly

Indian Armed Forces and the 2014 Jammu and Kashmir floods

2014 Kashmir Valley attacks

2014 elections in India

2024 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election

Website of the Election Commission of India