The Baramulla Parliamentary Constituency in North Kashmir is set to vote in the fifth phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which begin today, May 20.

Security arrangements have been beefed up in the region to ensure smooth polling.

Voting will take place from 7 am to 6 pm, with a possible extension if there are still voters in line.

The contest features 22 candidates, including prominent figures like National Conference's Omar Abdullah, Peoples Conference's Sajad Lone, and Awami Ittehad Party chief Abdul Rashid Sheikh who is currently in Tihar Jail.

Baramulla has traditionally been dominated by the National Conference. In 2019, NC's Mohammad Akbar Lone defeated PC's Raja Aijaz Ali, while in 2014 PDP's Muzaffar Hussain Beg of Jammu and Kashmir's Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) won against C candidate Sharifuddin Shariq by 29,000 votes.

An estimated 17.32 lakh voters, including 8.62 lakh women, 34 third-gender individuals, 17,128 disabled persons, and 527 centenarians, will cast votes across 2,103 polling stations staffed by over 8,000 personnel. Interestingly, 18 booths will be managed by women, 17 by disabled persons, and 18 by youth.