Buoyed over historic turn-out in the five phases of the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Election Commissioner of India Rajiv Kumar on Saturday said that maiden assembly elections in the Union Territory will be held "very soon".
The CEC's statement came amid unprecedented polling in the Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary seat of Jammu and Kashmir where polling was held in the fifth phase.
Interacting with a news agency, the Chief Election Commissioner said that the Election Commission will very soon initiate the process of holding Assembly polls in the Union Territory.
Expressing his happiness over the "historic" turnout in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the CEC said that people's participation in the electoral process was encouraging and very positive.
He said that every section of the society including women and youth has turned out in large numbers to exercise their right to franchise in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
"Roots of the democracy are being strengthened in Jammu and Kashmir with the participation of people in the democratic process", he said and added that the people of the Union Territory deserve a popular government, and a process in this regard will be initiated.
Earlier CEC said that assembly elections in J&K will be announced at an "appropriate time"
While announcing the schedule of Lok Sabha elections, the CEC in March this year said that the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted at the "appropriate time," taking into account security considerations and the concurrent elections being held in the region.
CEC Rajiv Kumar had stated that the security situation would be a crucial factor in determining the election timing for Jammu and Kashmir.
"The decision will be made at the right moment, considering the security context and other simultaneous elections in the region," stated the CEC.
J&K has been without an elected government since June 2018
- Jammu and Kashmir has been without an elected government since June 2018 when BJP dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) followed by the resignation of the then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
- Five months later, on November 28, 2018, then Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik dissolved the legislative assembly minutes after Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP staked a claim to form the government with the support of Congress and the National Conference.
- A month later on December 19, 2018, then President Ram Nath Kovind issued a proclamation promulgating President's Rule in J&K under article 356 of the Constitution of India.
- Eight months later on August 5, 2019, the BJP government abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
- The electoral process underwent a special summary revision in 2022, culminating in the publication of the final electoral rolls in the Union Territory on November 25, 2022.
Earlier Dr. Farooq predicted that assembly elections would be held after the Amarnath Yatra
Important to mention here that earlier this month, the National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah predicted that the maiden assembly elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will be held after the Amarnath Yatra.
He claimed that "as soon as the Amarnath Yatra ends, mark my words, elections will be held in J&K". He further asserted that the National Conference was ready for any time.
The Amarnath Yatra 2024 shall commence from June 29 and conclude on August 19.
In December last year, the Supreme Court upheld the Centre's decision to scrap Article 370 but said steps should be taken to restore the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest. The apex court directed the Election Commission of India (EC) to hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30, 2024.
