The Election Commission of India (ECI) has pledged to conduct assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest, emphasizing that no external or internal forces will be allowed to hinder the process. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar conveyed this commitment during a three-day visit to the Union Territory, leading a poll panel team.
Kumar, addressing a press conference in Jammu, stated that all political parties in Jammu and Kashmir are strongly advocating for holding the assembly elections. The ECI delegation is currently in the Union Territory to evaluate the preparedness of the administration and security agencies for the polls.
On Thursday, the first day of their visit, the delegation met with representatives of various political parties at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar. On Friday, the delegation, which includes Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and SS Sandhu, engaged in discussions with Jammu and Kashmir’s chief secretary Atal Dullo and the Union Territory’s police chief R R Swain, as reported by news agency PTI.
Jammu and Kashmir has been under Central rule since June 19, 2018, following the collapse of a coalition government led by the People’s Democratic Party’s Mehbooba Mufti. This occurred after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the coalition’s partner, withdrew its support.
Elections were initially scheduled for early 2019 after the dissolution of the legislative body of the erstwhile state in 2018. However, following the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh – in August 2019 and the abrogation of Article 370, the Assembly polls were delayed due to various factors, including a delimitation exercise completed in 2022.
Last December, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to finalize the election process by September 30, 2024. The ECI’s commitment to conducting the elections promptly reflects the significance of ensuring democratic representation in Jammu and Kashmir.
