E-Paper
J&K parties flay decision of not holding assembly election along with LS polls
Leaders of various mainstream political parties have expressed disappointment for not announcing assembly elections in J&K along with the Lok Sabha polls. During his recent visit to J&K, leaders of almost every political party had urged the chief election commissioner, Rajeev Kumar to hold simultaneous polls in J&K.
Leaders of various mainstream political parties have expressed disappointment for not announcing assembly elections in J&K along with the Lok Sabha polls.
During his recent visit to J&K, leaders of almost every political party had urged the chief election commissioner, Rajeev Kumar to hold simultaneous polls in J&K.
However, the ECI today said that due to security concerns the assembly polls will not be held in J&K along with LoK Sabha polls. He, however, promised the assembly polls very soon.
“So much for ‘One Nation, One Election’. The EC is unable to conduct assembly polls in J&K with the general election even when they acknowledge that elections are due #GeneralElection2024,” NC vice-president and former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah wrote on X. On Friday, Omar had said that he had no hopes from the ECI when he was asked whether Lok Sabha and assembly polls will be held in J&K simultaneously.
National Conference president and Srinagar MP Farooq Abdullah expressed disappointment over the ECI decision.
“I am disappointed and disheartened. Where the government was talking about ‘One Nation, One Election’. Here was an opportunity. Four states are already going for both parliamentary and assembly elections, why J&K has been denied. Not only the NC but all other political parties, including BJP, requested the ECI for the simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha polls in J&K. We have been denied elections since 2014. Instead of public representatives, L-G is ruling our state. What is the reason that the assembly elections are denied in J&K. There is something wrong that is why assembly elections are delayed in J&K,” Farooq Abdullah told reporters in Srinagar.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter and her adviser Iltija Mufti said, “Everything has been taken away from J&K and we must not beg for elections.”
“J&K enjoyed special status, its own constitution & residuary powers. A state like no other. Reducing it to elections only undermines & trivialises our collective struggle. What purpose does grovelling for elections with a begging bowl serve? More importantly who does it serve?” she wrote on X.
Congress also expressed disappointment over ECI decision for not announcing assembly polls in J&K.
“The ECI disappointed People of J&K by not announcing overdue assembly elections. Neither SC direction nor ‘One Nation, One Election’ slogan could help J&K people to achieve early restoration of democracy,” Ravinder Sharma, senior vice-president, J&K Congress, wrote on X.
Apni Party vice-president Ghulam Hassan Mir said, “People of J&K and political parties were eagerly waiting for the assembly polls but the ECI didn’t announce it which has left people and political parties disappointed. We have been disempowered by not holding polls. Now it seems the ECI also wants to disempower us.” Mir said that if elections could be held across the country and four states why not in J&K. “We hope the assembly polls will be announced soon,” he added.
While there has been no announcement for assembly polls in J&K, the polls on five Lok Sabha seats will be held in five phases -Udhampur: April 19, Jammu: April 26, Anantnag - Rajouri, May 7, Srinagar: May 13 and Baramulla on May 26.
