A significant reshuffle within the Jammu and Kashmir Police force is underway, with new chiefs appointed across multiple districts, signaling preparations for the upcoming Assembly election, likely to be announced soon.
Changes have been made in several key districts, including Jammu, Ramban, Kathua, Reasi, Udhampur, Doda, Poonch, Shopian, and Ganderbal - regions that have recently seen a concerning rise in terrorist activities.
This reshuffle also comes with a new head for the J&K Police's Intelligence Wing. The move follows the appointment of senior IPS officer Nalin Prabhat as the Special Director-General of the J&K Police, in anticipation of the retirement of his predecessor, RR Swain, at the end of September.
The timing of these changes is critical as the Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir has been pending for nearly a decade.
Last year, the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to complete the election process by September 30, after ruling on petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. The top court's decision emphasized that the election and the process of recognizing J&K as a state must proceed, despite the region's bifurcation into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh - following the removal of Article 370.
The Election Commission, which visited J&K last week to review preparations, is expected to announce the election dates soon. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar assured that no internal or external forces would be able to disrupt the election process, expressing confidence in the people of Jammu and Kashmir to resist any disruptive efforts.
The last Assembly election in J&K was held in 2014, where the PDP, led by the late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and the BJP emerged as the leading parties with 28 and 25 seats, respectively. The surprising alliance between the PDP and BJP led to the formation of the government, marking the first time the BJP participated in a ruling coalition in the region. However, the coalition fell apart four years later, leading to the imposition of Governor's Rule, which continues to this day.
In addition to the developments in Jammu and Kashmir, the Election Commission is also expected to announce poll dates for Haryana, where the BJP, currently in power, may face a tighter contest in the upcoming Assembly election. The BJP's alliance with Dushyant Chautala's JJP, which helped secure power in 2019, has since dissolved, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming polls.