Ishtiyaq Kar
Srinagar, Mar 16: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar reaffirmed on Saturday the commitment to swiftly organize Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir after the Lok Sabha polls, in deference to security concerns that render simultaneous scheduling impractical.
Ahead of the Election Commission of India’s declaration of the Lok Sabha polls, all political parties in the Union Territory had expressed aspirations for the long-awaited Assembly elections to be held either independently or concurrently with the parliamentary polls later this year.
Responding to queries regarding the deferment of the Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, the CEC underscored the logistical intricacies involved in providing security forces to each candidate in the Union Territory, particularly challenging when elections are conducted nationwide simultaneously.
Kumar elucidated that the amendment to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act in December 2023, following a delimitation exercise, mandated a specific timeline for action by the Election Commission (EC).
Explaining the complexities further, Kumar noted, “The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act was passed in 2019. There was a provision for 107 seats, 24 of which were in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Then the delimitation commission came and there was a change in the seats. The reorganisation Act and delimitation were not in sync. That happened in December 2023. So our meter started running from December 2023.”
Despite the unanimous preference of political parties in Jammu and Kashmir for simultaneous Assembly and parliamentary polls, the administrative machinery advised against concurrent scheduling due to significant logistical demands.
“With every Assembly segment potentially hosting 10-12 candidates, amounting to over 1,000 candidates in total, ensuring adequate security arrangements posed a formidable challenge,” he remarked.
Nevertheless, CEC Rajiv Kumar reiterated the commitment to promptly conduct Assembly elections after the ongoing electoral process, assuring that elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be prioritized thereafter.
The last Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir occurred in 2014, predating the reorganization of the erstwhile state into two Union territories on August 5, 2019. (KNS)
CEC Rajiv Kumar Aims for Swift J&K Assembly Polls Post Lok Sabha Election, Respecting Political Parties’ Call
