J&K political parties unanimously demand immediate assembly elections to EC

Srinagar: The Election Commission's (EC) visit to Jammu and Kashmir is focused on assessing the readiness for assembly polls, a demand strongly echoed by all major political parties in the region to conduct elections as soon as possible.

The team led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar arrived here in the morning and met with representatives of registered political parties, including the National Conference (NC), the People's Democratic Party (PDP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress and the Jammu and Kashmir Panthers Party (JKPP), at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC).

The EC delegation also comprising election commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and S S Sandhu was here on a three-day visit to review the preparedness for assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir and take feedback from political parties. Talking to reporters after party-wise meetings with the poll panel's delegation, political leaders said they were unanimous in their demand for immediate assembly elections in the Union Territory (UT).

They also demanded that a level-playing field in the polls should be ensured for restoration of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir. The Supreme Court has directed the central government to conclude the process of conducting the elections by September 30. The polls' schedule is yet to be announced by the EC.

The BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit batted for immediate assembly elections. Its spokesperson R S Pathania said, "We told the EC that we want elections to be conducted as soon as possible." The party wants the elections to be held within the Supreme Court's deadline, he said.

NC Kashmir provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani, who led a five-member party delegation, said the NC demanded immediate assembly elections. "Our only demand is that the people of J-K now want to have their own government. We told the EC that you came here many times and we met you but now there should be some definite decision on it," he told reporters.

"We said there has been no government in J-K since 2018 and the assembly elections have not taken place for the last 10 years," Wani said and added that the NC told the EC that a Lieutenant Governor, his lone advisor and a few bureaucrats cannot run the UT.

Political, developmental and security issues can be addressed when the people have their own representatives, he said and added that "they (the EC) have assured us that elections will take place this time". Congress leader G N Monga said democracy should flourish in Jammu and Kashmir. "We call ourselves the mother of democracy but the people of J-K are without elections since last many years. Democracy should flourish here and elections should be held sooner," he told reporters.

Monga said the party delegation also discussed the security scenario in J-K with the EC. "We told them that there is a discrimination between parties on providing them security, so, we appealed that every party should be weighed in the same scale," he added.

PDP leader Khurshid Alam, who was part of the party's delegation that met the EC, said people of J-K should have the right to elect their own government. "What justification is there not to hold polls when the government says the situation has improved and is better, when one crore tourists came here, and when the parliamentary polls and (Amarnath) yatra took place without any incident," he asked.

He said the need of the hour is to restore democracy in J-K. "The county believes in democracy, so we should have elections immediately," the PDP leader said and added that the there was a very positive response from the EC. NC leader Wani said the party also demanded a level-playing field in terms of providing a secure environment for the polls.

"We do not have personal differences with the L-G, but he is basically a political appointee and we have apprehensions that his decisions may be biased. So, we requested them (the EC) that the government be sanitised to provide a level-playing field without any bias. Such an environment should be created in terms of security which will provide a level-playing field," he added.

Asked if the party was hopeful of the conduct of the polls, he said, "We have always been hopeful, and this time also we are hopeful. The EC has assured us that this will now be completed because they told that there were certain things which they had to complete and which are now in place. Now, I do not see any reason for not conducting the election," he said.

Wani said the party is hopeful that the Supreme Court's September 30 deadline would be met. "When the Parliamentary polls were conducted in a good manner, they why cannot assembly polls be held. Polls have taken place in difficult times also, even in 1996 when the situation was bad. "We told the EC that it is a question of their credibility. Either you make stronger those voices which do not want elections, or you have to maintain your credibility and conduct the election," Wani said and added the response of the ECI was positive.

After this meeting, the EC will review the preparations with election officers and superintendents of police all districts as well as the chief secretary and the director general of police. The EC team's visit will culminate on August 10 at Jammu where it will hold a review meeting with law enforcement agencies. It will also hold a press conference.