ECI may soon announces J&K Assembly elections, likely to be held in eight phases

The Election Commission of India may soon announce much awaited Assembly Polls in Jammu and Kashmir likely to be held in eight passes after the month of September this year.

Sources privy to the administration said that if the circumstances remain feasible and all goes well, the Election Commission of India is expected to blow the bugle for Assembly elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which may be held after September and the first Legislative Assembly be constituted post abrogation of Article 370.

However, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday for the first time while clearing the dust over Assembly elections has set a time frame stating that the polls will be held in 6 to 8 months.

“Delimitation Commission has almost completed its exercise and the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted in 6 to 8 months and there is no confusion in it,” Shah replied to a news channel in an interview.

Notably, after revocation of Article 370 and 35-A (Special Status), on August 5, 2019, the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

“The elections as per inside reports are likely to be held in eight phases,” government sources stated stating that the final call has to be taken by the Election Commission of India keeping all ifs and buts into consideration.

“The Union Home Ministry is reviewing the security situation vis-à-vis all other conditions necessary and suitable for holding the Assembly elections and if the situation allows, the ECI may nod for the polls,” sources added.

The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir came into existence on October 31, 2019 under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act passed by the Parliament on August 5, 2019 after the then PDP-BJP coalition government in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was dissolved in June 2018.

The Governor’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir remained imposed till October 31, 2019 and since then, after the formation of the Union Territory, only the Lieutenant Governor is the head of the administration.

However, barring BJP, all other political parties have been continually demanding early conduct of the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Now elections are to be held for 90 assembly seats in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Of these, seven are new seats while 83 are already existing but almost all the seats reportedly have been reshuffled by the Delimitation Commission,” reliable sources said.

“The Delimitation Commission has submitted its interim report and the final draft is expected to be in public domain by the end of March taking all objections and suggestions into consideration following which revision, review and updating of voter lists will be on cards,” they said.

“Previously, a thought was under process to complete the Assembly elections exercise in the months of June-July, but as these two months witness huge footfall of tourists, the stakeholders associated with the tourism industry as well as the security agencies suggested the period after September,” they said adding that all depends upon the “final report” to be submitted by the Delimitation Commission.

The government sources said that this year is also planning to permit the annual Shri Amarnath Yatra mostly begins in July and concludes in August for which the preparations are already underway in view of dipping COVID cases, the period was considered to be suitable for the Assembly elections.

“While the additional deployment of security forces remains very much available due to Amarnath Yatra till mid of August, the Centre may be expecting it the best time to announce the Assembly elections because the contingents of troops will not be required,” sources said.

“The weather after the month of September will not be a major hiccup because already Parliamentary and DDC elections were peacefully conducted in Jammu and Kashmir in the winter season and the areas having possibility of heavy snowfall, can be covered in the first phase,” sources revealed.

“The action plan has also been called by the Central Government from all the security agencies regarding the deployment of troops during Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir,” they said.

The Union Home Ministry, sources said, has directed the concerned agencies to prepare a blueprint on the basis of conditions and experiences of Assembly Elections conducted in Jammu and Kashmir in the years 2002, 2009 and 2014 and subsequently the Panchayat and Municipal elections.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on January 22 had said elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held soon, and statehood would be restored after the situation becomes “normal”.

He was speaking through video conferencing after releasing ‘District Good Governance Index’ for Jammu and Kashmir.

“Delimitation process has started. Elections will be held soon. Whatever people say, I have assured on the floor of Parliament, as soon as the situation is normal J&K will get its statehood back,” Shah said.
The Home Minister said the law and order situation in J&K has improved.

“Some people say the law and order situation in J&K has deteriorated after abrogation of article 370. I would like to tell them there is 40 percent decrease in terror incidents, and 57 percent decrease in number of deaths,” Shah said.