Elections for the former Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir were held in September -October 2002 in four phases.^[1][2]

Quick Facts all 87 seats in Legislative Assembly 44 seats needed for a majority, Registered ...

2002 Jammu and Kashmir state assembly elections

← 1996 16 September 2002 to 8 October 2002 2008 →
all 87 seats in Legislative Assembly 44 seats needed for a majority
Registered	6,165,285
Turnout	43.70% (10.22%)
First party Second party Third party   Leader Farooq Abdullah Ghulam Nabi Azad Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Party JKNC INC JKPDP Last election 57 7 - Seats won 28 20 16 Seat change 29 13 16 Percentage 28.24% 24.24% 9.28% Swing 6.54% 4.24% 9.28%   Fourth party Fifth party   Leader Bhim Singh Party JKNPP BJP Last election 1 8 Seats won 4 1 Seat change 3 7 Percentage 3.83% 8.57% Swing 1.58% 3.56%
Chief Minister before election Farooq Abdullah JKNC Elected Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed PDP (in coalition with the INC and JKNPP)

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Jammu & Kashmir National Conference was the single largest party but lacked majority. The Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the Indian National Congress (Congress) formed a coalition government with PDP's Mufti Mohammad Sayeed serving as the Chief Minister for the first three years and Congress's Ghulam Nabi Azad for the next three years. The election saw a major boycott at the appeal of Tehreek -e-Hurriyat.Kashmir division had a voting percentage of 3.5% while Jammu division had a voting percentage of 16.5%.Rajouri district recorded the least voting percentage at 2.7%^[3][4] The Panthers Party formed part of the ruling coalition with Harsh Dev Singh as the party's first cabinet minister.^[5]

Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were used for first time in Jammu Kashmir assembly elections in 2002.^[6] The international community also appreciated the credibility of the elections and the results that followed it. The elections was seen as a victory of the ballot over the bullet.^[7][8] United States lauded 2002 elections of the state.^[9][10] There were 1.7 million voters in the state for 2002 elections.^[11][12]

The first phase voting took place on 16 September 2002.^[13] There was a polling station for just 11 voters in Zanskar.^[6] BJP contested on 52 seats while Jammu State Morcha contested on 12 seats.^[14][15] National Conference president Omar Abdullah contested from Ganderbal seat.^[16] Separatists had varied views on the elections ranging from voting to boycott of elections.^[17][18][19]

The four stages of the elections were held as follows:

More information Party, Seats ...

Summary of the Jammu and Kashmir state assembly election results

Party	Seats	Previously	+/–	Vote %	Vote Share
National Conference	28	57	29	20.8%	7,49,825
Indian National Congress	20	7	13	24.24%	6,43,751
People's Democratic Party	16	-	16	9.28%	2,46,480
Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party	4	1	3	3.83%	1,01,830
Communist Party of India (Marxist)	2		0	0.88%	23493
Bharatiya Janata Party	1	8	7	8.57%	2,27,633
Bahujan Samaj Party	1	4	3	4.50%	1,19,492
Democratic Movement	1			0.62%	16,366
Jammu and Kashmir Awami League	1	1	0	0.91%	24,121
Independents	13			%	4,38,287
Total (turnout 43.70%)	87	87		-	-
Valid votes		26,55,570	99.90
Invalid votes		584	0.10
Votes cast / turnout		26,56,627	43.70
Abstentions		24,94,170	56.30%
Registered voters		60,78,570
Source:Election Commission of India[21]

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JKNC became the single largest party with 28 seats. Congress became the second largest party with 25 seats.^[22]

Omar Abdullah resigned as a chief minister on 24 December 2014.^[23]