Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar reaffirmed the commitment to conduct Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir “at the earliest”. Speaking at a press conference in Jammu, Kumar asserted that the election panel is dedicated to holding the polls promptly and will resist any internal or external pressures that might interfere. He noted that all political parties in Jammu and Kashmir are advocating strongly for the elections to be held as soon as possible.
The three-member Election Commission (EC) panel is currently in Jammu and Kashmir to assess the preparedness of both the administration and security agencies for the upcoming elections. On the second day of their visit, the EC delegation met with J-K Chief Secretary Atal Dullo and J-K Police DGP RR Swain.
This visit occurs against a backdrop of increased terror-related incidents in the Union territory. However, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha dismissed concerns that the terror threat would impede the peaceful conduct of the elections. Sinha stated, “The Election Commission team is arriving on August 8 and 9. Once they decide, the Jammu and Kashmir administration is fully prepared to conduct the elections.”
Jammu and Kashmir last held Assembly elections in 2014. The Assembly was dissolved in 2018, and elections were scheduled for 2019. However, following the abrogation of Article 370 by the Narendra Modi Government in August 2019, which led to the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh — the Assembly elections were postponed. The delimitation process, completed in 2022, also contributed to the delay.
In December of the previous year, the Supreme Court upheld the abrogation of Article 370 and directed the Election Commission to hold the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections by September 30, 2024.
