Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference chief Sajad Gani Lone on Tuesday won the Handwara Assembly seat in the Union territory, according to data from the Election Commission.

Lone was declared the winner with a narrow margin of 662 votes over Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan of the National Conference.

The People’s Conference leader, however, lost the Kupwara seat to Mir Mohammad Fayaz of the People’s Democratic Party.

Fayaz won the seat with 27,773 votes, defeating Nasir Aslam Wani of the National Conference. Lone placed third with 7,457 votes.

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The People’s Conference candidates placed second in three seats – Langate, Trehgam and Karnah. All three constituencies are in the Kupwara district.

Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh, the brother of Baramullah MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, who is popularly known as Engineer Rashid, won the Langate seat by 1,602 votes, defeating Irfan Sultan Pandithpur of the People’s Conference.

The National Conference won 42 seats in Jammu and Kashmir. Its ally, the Congress, won six seats.

The Bharatiya Janata Party won 29 seats while the Peoples Democratic Party won three seats.

The Legislative Assembly in Jammu and Kashmir has a strength of 119 members. While elections took place in 90 constituencies, 24 more seats are designated for areas that are in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The lieutenant governor has the power to appoint five members. Therefore, a party or an alliance needs 48 seats for a majority when the House has 95 members.

The Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir took place in three phases on September 18, September 25 and October 1. A voter turnout of 63.8% was recorded.

The Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir were the first in 10 years, and the first since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution in August 2019.

Article 370 had accorded special status to the erstwhile state. The Centre in August 2019 also bifurcated the state into two Union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Also read: Why new J&K government will be stunted – no matter who wins