Election Commission's three-day visit sparks hope of assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir

Srinagar: As the Election Commission of India (ECI) embarks on a pivotal three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, the political landscape in the region is abuzz with anticipation.

Political parties across the Union Territory are hopeful that the visit will culminate in the much-awaited announcement of assembly elections, and they are making preparations accordingly.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and S S Sandhu, are set to meet various stakeholders during their visit, scheduled to begin on Thursday.

They will engage with representatives of political parties as well as civil and police administration officials in both Jammu and Srinagar.

This visit by the ECI comes just weeks ahead of the Supreme Court's September 30 deadline for holding assembly polls.

Jammu and Kashmir has been under central rule since June 19, 2018, following the collapse of a coalition government led by the People’s Democratic Party’s Mehbooba Mufti after the BJP withdrew its support.

The prolonged absence of an elected government has led to increasing calls for early elections, with many emphasising the need for a representative administration to more effectively address local issues.

National Conference (NC) President and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah stressed the importance of the Commission's role in ensuring transparent and unbiased elections to maintain the integrity of the democratic process.

“It is essential that the Commission upholds its duty to ensure transparent and unbiased elections, in order to maintain the integrity of the democratic process,” he told reporters.

Sensing the possibility of early polls, the PDP announced its assembly constituency in-charges for various segments on Tuesday, while the Congress party has already constituted screening committees for four poll-bound states, including Jammu and Kashmir.

The BJP has launched an aggressive campaign across the Jammu region and is preparing a massive public outreach program as it drafts its election manifesto.

The upcoming assembly elections will be the first since the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganisation of the state into two Union Territories in August 2019.

However, sources indicate that the current administration might want to maintain the status quo, as security agencies currently have a free hand in dealing with anti-national elements.

“If the assembly polls aren’t held this time, the only reason can be opposition by the security establishment. The ECI team will have detailed meetings with senior officers of police and administration over the security issues and before finalising the dates for elections, it will be taken into consideration,” they revealed.

As the ECI begins its tour, all eyes will be on the Commission's deliberations and the subsequent announcements.