India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting the main city in Himalayan Kashmir to campaign for his party in the staggered local election in a first such vote since New Delhi stripped the disputed region’s semi-autonomy in 2019.

PM Modi urged the people of J&K to vote in large numbers and said, "It's a festival of democracy. The first phase has ended and for the first time voting has taken place without any fear of terrorism. People have come out in large numbers including young and old."