Srinagar- Political parties cutting across party lines on Friday welcomed the Election Commission’s announcement of three-phased assembly elections beginning September 18 in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the people were eagerly waiting for the restoration of democracy in the Union Territory after six years of central rule.
Almost all the parties, including National Conference, Congress, BJP, CPI(M) and DPAP, thanked the Election Commission and said the poll announcement maintained the supremacy of the Supreme Court which had set the September 30 deadline for the holding of the much awaited assembly elections in J&K.
The Election Commission said the assembly polls in J&K would be held in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1. The counting of votes would be on October 4.
Reacting to the EC announcement, National Conference vice president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah said it was better late than never.
“Some time back, the ECI announced the schedule for assembly elections in J&K. People of J&K were waiting for this day for a long time. It is better late than never,” Abdullah told reporters in Srinagar.
The former chief minister said it is perhaps for the first time after the 1987-88 polls, that the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are being held in a short time and in just a few phases.
“It obviously will be a new experiment for the political parties. But as far as our party is concerned, the NC was prepared for this day and will soon start the electioneering,” he added.
Abdullah said Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has made a thrust on conducting free and fair polls in Jammu and Kashmir and called on the poll body to take notice of the massive transfers in the police and civil administration in the Union Territory in the last 24 hours.
“We have doubts that this government is helping the BJP and its B, C and D teams. The ECI should immediately take notice and examine them and stop those transfers which are outside their guidelines,” he said.
“Better late than never”, Senior Vice president of Pradesh Congress Committee Ravinder Sharma told PTI, reacting to the announcement by the chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar.
He said the people in J&K were waiting for the assembly elections for the past six years after the fall of PDP-BJP government in June 2018.
“Though we were pressing for restoration of full statehood before the holding of assembly elections, the announcement by the Election Commission is a welcome step and we are hopeful that the commission will ensure level playing field and adequate security without any discrimination,” Sharma, who is also the chief spokesperson of the Congress, said.
He also hoped that the EC would look into the massive reshuffle in police and civil administration ordered in the Union Territory on the day of the announcement of polls.
“There should be no unnecessary transfers and if such a thing had happened, the Election commission should take appropriate action,” the Congress leader said.
AICC General Secretary G A Mir thanked the EC for announcing the polls in a region where the last assembly polls were held in 2014 and said the supremacy of the apex court which had set September 30 as deadline for the assembly elections in J&K has been maintained.
He said the central government has promised assembly elections after delimitation but the exercise was completed long back.
“People are eagerly waiting for the formation of the popular government and the announcement of the polls reflects the aspirations of the people. We have full faith that people in J&K will take part in elections in a big way and elect their representatives,” he said.
Senior CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami also welcomed the announcement of a poll for Jammu and Kashmir.
“It is welcome that after a long time the EC has announced the schedule for elections to the assembly. We also welcome the statement of the EC that it will be a full democratic exercise by ensuring level playing field to all parties and contestants besides sufficient security for candidates and votes as well,” Tarigami said.
J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina said “we are highly grateful to ECI for the announcement of assembly elections in J&K”.
However, the party media incharge Pradeep Malhotra said they are fully prepared for the elections and requested the people to take part in the upcoming elections enthusiastically.
Malhotra expressed hope that the elections would be peaceful and violence-free.
J&K Awaits Statehood: Congress
After the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the assembly poll schedule for Jammu and Kashmir, Congress on Friday alleged that the recent moves by the central government have only increased the powers of the Lieutenant Governor, reducing the powers of a duly elected state government to a “mockery.”
“For the past five years, the Indian National Congress has been consistently demanding the restoration of full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir and the holding of assembly elections. Jammu and Kashmir is still waiting for full statehood,” said Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Earlier the poll-panel announced that the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections will be held in three phases, beginning September 18, with results to be declared on October 4.
Polling for the first phase will be held on September 18, the second phase on September 25, and the final phase on October 1.
“Recent actions by the central government have further increased the powers of the Lieutenant Governor, effectively reducing the powers of a duly elected state government to a mockery,” Ramesh added.
Last month, the Centre granted additional powers to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, including decision-making authority over the police, officers from all-India services like the IAS and IPS, and the power to sanction prosecutions in various cases.
These powers were granted to the LG through amendments to the rules under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. This act facilitated the division of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, while also abrogating Article 370.
Jammu and Kashmir has been without an elected government since June 2018, when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) broke its alliance with Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) forcing Mehbooba Mufti to resign as chief minister.
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