ECI team reaches Srinagar

Jammu, Mar 11: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, along with a team of around a dozen Election Commission of India (ECI) officials, Monday reached Srinagar on a three-day visit to J&K to review preparations for Lok Sabha polls here.

The team is also likely to hold deliberations with all stakeholders to explore the possibility of J&K assembly elections, simultaneously with the parliamentary polls or with four other states, whose assembly term is expiring in the next couple of months.

“CEC along with his team reached Srinagar this evening. During their visit, they will meet all the stakeholders in J&K - officials of police, civil administration and political parties’ delegations. As per a tentative formal schedule, tomorrow they will hold deliberations with the representatives of various political parties at SKICC from 12 noon,” official sources stated.

“On March 13, they will reach Jammu. Almost a similar exercise is likely to be followed there though that itinerary will be finalised tomorrow. As per available schedule, in Jammu, they will address a press conference also at 4 pm at Radisson Blu,” they added.

As far as J&K administration was concerned, ahead of the ECI team’s visit, the Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on March 9 had taken stock of the preparations of the Union Territory for the ensuing major democratic exercise and issued necessary directions in compliance with the ECI directions.

Major political parties, which had received invites 3-4 days ago for meeting with ECI on March 12 in Srinagar, have finalised names of members who will hold deliberations with it (ECI team) and share their issues or demands in line with their respective party’s stand.

J&K BJP chief spokesperson Sunil Sethi, while speaking to Greater Kashmir, stated, “As of now, BJP will be represented by its two-member delegation viz., R S Pathania and Parimoksh Seth, who will share party’s take on the big democratic exercise and related issues with the ECI team.”

When asked if the J&K BJP president or any other senior leader would also join the delegation, his response was, “That I cannot say right now. The party may take a call on that account as per the evolving situation.”

“We don’t have any such schedule with us, as of now,” Sethi said, in response to a query if there was any scheduled meeting of party leaders with the ECI team in Jammu also.

Notably, the party’s UT leadership has maintained that it is fully prepared for all elections, any time. “Our party is always in ready-mode. We are prepared for Lok Sabha polls. If the ECI takes a call on simultaneous assembly polls, even then, we are well prepared,” has been the party's consistent stand.

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) senior vice president and chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma, responding to Greater Kashmir queries, said, “Yes, we are meeting the ECI team in Srinagar tomorrow. Our delegation will comprise four senior members of the party viz., Peerzada Mohd Sayeed; Ghulam Nabi Monga; Mohd Anwar Bhat and Irfan Naqshbandi.”

What will be the major focus areas of the party during its deliberations with the ECI team? In response to this query, Sharma said, “You will come to know about it when we meet the ECI team. In any case, our party’s stand has been consistent on certain issues and we will definitely flag them. First and the foremost issue will pertain to assembly elections.”

Will the party demand simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha polls, when asked, the senior Congress leader remarked, “We will demand the conduct of assembly elections “as early as possible”, in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions. Then we will flag another major issue related to disparities in security. Even their (BJP’s) block presidents have larger security paraphernalia than that of our senior leaders, including our PCC president.”

On this account, he refers to CEC’s statement made in briefing of observers in the union capital during the day. “Congress will demand that the ECI, as per its assertions, should ensure a level playing field. Besides, voter lists should be in all three languages viz., English, Hindi and Urdu to facilitate voters here. Another issue will be restoration of statehood. We will request the ECI to ask the government to keep its word in compliance with the SC directive vis-à-vis early restoration of statehood,” JKPCC senior vice president said.

National Conference vice president and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, during a press conference here, stated that his party’s major demand during its meeting with the ECI team would be “simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha polls.”

“No, I’m not meeting the ECI team. NC’s provincial presidents along with other leaders will represent the party in the meetings in Srinagar (and Jammu). If the situation is conducive for Lok Sabha polls and take employees to the Prime Minister’s rally, then assembly polls are also possible. It will be an injustice to the people if assembly elections are not conducted with the LS polls, to provide cover to BJP,” Omar said.