Srinagar, Sep 25 (IANS): Polling across 26 Assembly constituencies in six districts of Jammu and Kashmir started on Wednesday morning to decide the fate of 239 candidates in the fray.

Voters started gathering at polling booths in the early morning to exercise their franchise as a clear autumn sky greeted them.

Most polling stations in the six districts of the Union Territory including Poonch, Rajouri and Reasi in Jammu division and Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal in the Valley wore a festive look.

Security forces drawn from the local police and the CRPF exchanged smiles with the voters as they started pouring out at polling stations.

A total of 25.78 lakh electors are eligible to exercise franchise in the second phase of J&K elections which started at 7 a.m. and will end at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all voters to exercise their franchise to play an important role in strengthening democracy.

In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi wrote, "Today is the second phase of voting for the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. I appeal to all voters to cast their votes and play their important role in strengthening democracy. On this occasion, I congratulate all the young friends who are going to vote for the first time!"

Senior politicians including former J&K Chief Minister and Vice President of NC Omar Abdullah, J&K Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra, J&K BJP President Ravinder Raina, former ministers Ali Mohammad Sagar, Asiya Naqash, Abdur Rahim Rather, Hakim Mohammad Yasin, Choudhary Zulfiqar and J&K Apni Party chief Syed Altaf Bukhari are in the electoral fray in the second phase.

NC and the Congress have formed a pre-poll alliance to contest the elections. NC has fielded candidates for 52 seats while Congress is contesting 31 seats. Two seats, one for the CPI-M in the Valley and the other for the Panthers Party in Jammu division have been left uncontested by the NC-Congress alliance.

On five seats of Sopore in Valley and Banihal, Nagrota, Kishtwar and Doda in Jammu division, the two parties could not reach a consensus and both have fielded candidates in these constituencies to engage in a friendly contest.

Voting for the third and last phase of J&K Legislative Assembly polls will be held on October 1 and counting will take place on October 8.