ECI arrives in Srinagar to evaluate possibility of holding Assembly polls in J&K

The apex court issued directions to conduct elections to the J&K Assembly by September 30, 2024.

Srinagar: The Election Commission of India (ECI) initiated a series of meetings with political parties in Srinagar on Thursday to gather feedback and suggestions on conducting the long-delayed assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

The entire ECI body, including Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and SS Sandhu, arrived in Srinagar this morning and held discussions with representatives from recognized political parties at SKICC.

The political parties involved in these discussions include the National Conference, People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, and CPM, who unanimously called for early Assembly elections in the UT.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Monga said they insisted that elections be held at the earliest. “We also raised security concerns for political leaders and workers whose security has been withdrawn,” he said after meeting the ECI team.

Sakina Itto of the National Conference expressed hope that the ECI would decide to hold the polls without further delay. “We are not seeking any charity but the rights of the people that have been snatched from them for the last 10 years so that they can elect their representatives and get their problems addressed,” she said.

After meeting the political parties, the ECI held a joint meeting with all deputy commissioners (DCs) and senior superintendents of police (SSPs) of the UT.

Later in the evening, they held a meeting with Chief Electoral Officer P K Pole and other election officials. The ECI are also scheduled to meet with Chief Secretary Atul Dullo and Director General of Police (DGP) R.R. Swain before leaving for Jammu.

The ECI will conclude their visit with a press conference about the meetings held in Jammu and Kashmir.

The last Assembly elections in the erstwhile state of J&K were held in November-December 2014. J&K has been under central rule since June 19, 2018, following the collapse of a coalition government led by the PDP’s Mehbooba Mufti after the BJP withdrew its support.

In August 2019, J&K was split into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, and its special status under Article 370 was revoked by the Centre. A constitution bench of the Supreme Court set a deadline of September 2024 for the ECI to hold Assembly elections in the Union Territory.

Last week, the ECI directed the J&K government to transfer officers serving in their home districts and those who have served in a particular district for three years in the past four years, as a preparatory step for holding elections.