Indian paramilitary troopers patrol along a road in Srinagar. Representative image.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Srinagar: With Election Commission of India set to visit Jammu and Kashmir from Tuesday, clamor for holding much awaited Assembly polls simultaneously with the Parliament elections have grown louder.
A poll body panel, led by Chief Election Commissioner (CEO) Rajiv Kumar, will be on a two-day visit to J&K from March 12 to assess whether simultaneous elections are possible. The dates for the Lok Sabha polls are likely to be revealed immediately after the Commission team returns.
During their visit, the poll body panel is likely to meet various stakeholders, including representatives of political parties and the civil and the police administration to assess the ground situation.
Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chief Ghulam Nabi Azad, while demanding that Assembly elections should be held soon, said people of Union Territory can’t wait anymore now.
“We have been waiting for the Assembly polls for years. We hope that the polls take place immediately after the parliamentary election,” Azad, a former CM of J&K, told reporters in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
National Conference (NC) president and former CM Farooq Abdullah also expressed surprise over inordinate delay in conducting the Assembly elections. He said, “It is a surprise that the government is going to hold Parliamentary elections but at the same time delaying Assembly polls.”
President of J&K unit of Congress, Viqar Rasool, while demanding holding of both elections together, said, “If the situation is good for Parliamentary polls, why not for assembly elections?”
“The Supreme Court has already passed an order to hold assembly elections by September. If Lok Sabha election is planned in the coming months, then only one or two months will remain till September. Why to undertake double expenditure? Why does the government not go for simultaneous elections?” he asked.
Jammu and Kashmir is currently without an elected government and has been since June 19, 2018, when BJP withdrew support to the Mehbooba Mufti-led government, citing the deteriorating security situation in the erstwhile State. The last time assembly polls were held in J&K was in November-December 2014.
A senior police officer told DH that they have been asked to make foolproof security arrangements for both the polls. “The preparations are going on keeping in mind that ECI may announce Parliament and Assembly polls simultaneously,” he revealed.