Opposition leaders meet EC, seek early polls in Jammu and Kashmir

“We didn’t set a time limit for holding elections. We want polls to be held as soon as possible so that people don’t have to suffer further,” said Farooq Abdullah. (Pic: ANI)

A delegation of political leaders, led by Jammu and Kashmir National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah met the Election Commission of India (ECI) on March 16, seeking early elections in the Union Territory.

“We had a detailed meeting with election commissioner. We requested to start off democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir as early as possible as delimitation process too has been completed,” said Farooq Abdullah.

The Delimitation Commission was set up in 2020 to redraw the electoral constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir and the four north eastern states of Nagaland, Manipur, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh.

He said that the delegation was told process to hold assembly polls got delayed because of harsh winters, but steps will be taken soon to ensure a democratic government is elected.

“We didn’t set a time limit for holding elections. We want polls to be held as soon as possible so that people don’t have to suffer further,” said Farooq Abdullah after meeting the poll-body.

The political leaders also submitted a memorandum to the ECI, in which they have mentioned that union home minister has stated many times that the government is ready to facilitate assembly elections, but final call has to be taken by the Commission.

“The Election Commission of India is under a constitutional obligation to hold assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and delay would amount to denial of democratic rights to the people,” reads the memorandum.

The signatories of the memorandum include National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge, CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and other senior leaders of national political parties.

Jammu and Kashmir is without an elected government since June 2018, when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) broke its alliance with Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) forcing Mehbooba Mufti to resign as chief minister.

The state was headed by then Governor Satya Pal Malik, who dissolved the J&K Legislative Assembly on November 28, 2018, soon after Mehbooba Mufti staked claim to form the government with the support of Congress and National Conference (NC).

However, on December 19, 2018, then President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, issued a notification announcing President's Rule in J&K under Article 356 of the Constitution of India. Eight months later, on August 5, 2019, the BJP-led government at the Centre repealed Article 370, providing special status to J&K, and bifurcated the erstwhile state into Union Territories.