Demand for simultaneous Assembly, Lok Sabha polls in J&K grows louder in meeting with ECI

Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir demanded assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir with the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.

During a recent meeting with the Election Commission of India (ECI) led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar in Srinagar, Congress and representatives of regional political parties in Jammu and Kashmir advocated for simultaneous assembly elections alongside the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

"There is no reason for delaying assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. If the situation is conducive for conducting assembly polls why there is a delay in holding assembly elections in J&K?" asked the provincial president of the National Conference Nasir Aslam Wani.

National Conference leaders under the leadership of Wani met the team of the Election Commission of India at SKICC Srinagar today.

"We met the team and informed them that assembly elections be held simultaneously with Lok Sabha polls as people here also desire to have their own government", Wani said.

A delegation of the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) led by general secretary Ghulam Nabi Hanjura called on the ECI team and demanded simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha polls in J&K

"We put forth our demand before the Election Commission of India, besides other issues we also informed them assembly election be held simultaneously with Lok Sabha polls in Jammu and Kashmir", Hanjura said.

Meanwhile, a CPIM delegation met with members of the ECI, urging them to conduct Assembly elections in J&K concurrently with the Lok Sabha polls.

ECI starts discussions with political parties in J&K

A day after reaching Srinagar, the team of the Election Commission started discussions with political parties in Jammu and Kashmir today to assess readiness for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the region.

Led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, the commission officials held discussions with delegations from various parties, including the National Conference, PDP, BJP, CPI(M), Congress, and the Aam Admi Party.

ECI team to hold meeting with officers

After meeting with representatives of the political party, the team of the ECI will conduct a comprehensive review of election preparedness with district election officers and police superintendents. Later today, officials will confer with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer P.K. Pole and state police nodal officers. Similar engagements are scheduled for tomorrow in Jammu.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo convened a meeting on Saturday with civil and police administration officials to ensure the smooth conduct of the Lok Sabha polls in the Union Territory.

Demand for assembly polls with Lok Sabha elections gains momentum

Different political parties have been demanding Assembly elections simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls in J&K.

On Monday, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah demanded the holding of simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the legislative assembly in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that it would be an injustice to the people if the assembly elections were postponed.

Omar Abdullah asked if the Lok Sabha elections can be held in Jammu and Kashmir, then why can't the assembly elections be held simultaneously?

J&K has been without an elected government since June 2018

Jammu and Kashmir is without an elected government since June 2018, when the 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, the 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, the 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.