Election Commission to visit J&K today

Srinagar, Aug 7: The Election Commission of India (ECI) is scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, to assess the preparations for the forthcoming assembly elections.

The two-day visit, headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and S S Sandhu, comes as the Supreme Court’s September 30 deadline for holding elections in J&K approaches.

During their stay, the Election Commission team would engage with political parties, Deputy Commissioners (DCs), Superintendents of Police (SPs), and various other officials, including the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and the Central Forces coordinator.

They would also review the preparedness with the Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo and the Director General of Police (DGP) Rashmi Ranjan Swain.

The itinerary of the Election Commission includes stops in both Srinagar and Jammu, and a news conference is planned to update the media on the election preparations.

This visit follows the ECI’s recent directive to the J&K administration to transfer officers posted in their home districts, a standard pre-election procedure.

These assembly elections would be the first since the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganisation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories in 2019.

J&K has been without an elected government since June 2018, when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) withdrew support from Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s Peoples Democratic Party-led government.

Political parties have been invited to send their representatives to meet with the Election Commission at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar.

The ECI’s visit has heightened expectations for the long-awaited assembly polls in J&K, with the last election held in 2014.

CEC Rajiv Kumar had previously assured that assembly elections would be conducted soon, following a record voter turnout in the region during the recent Lok Sabha elections.

The upcoming polls are viewed as a crucial step in restoring the democratic process in J&K.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his first visit to J&K after assuming charge as the PM for the third consecutive time said that the preparations of Assembly elections in J&K had started.

“What can be better than the people of Jammu and Kashmir selecting their representative and tackling their problems through them? That is why preparations for the assembly elections have started. The day is not far when you will select the new government of J&K with your vote. The day will come soon when J&K will shape its future as a state once again,” PM Modi said.

ECI had earlier said that the historic participation by the people of J&K in the Lok Sabha elections, 2024, had prompted it to initiate preparations for the J&K Assembly polls.

“General election to the Legislative Assembly J&K is to be conducted for constituting a new house after delimitation of constituencies,” the ECI had said.

CEC Rajiv Kumar in the last news conference had said, “The story of huge participation in Lok Sabha elections by people of J&K is very hopeful and inspiring, showing how eager people are to participate in democracy. People must stay peaceful and united, fulfilling their aspirations and deciding their future and governance. The commission is excited and gratified to help make this happen and will soon start the Assembly election process in J&K.”

Earlier in December 2023, the Supreme Court had set the deadline of September 30, 2024, for the ECI to complete the process of assembly elections in J&K.