The Election Commission has cited security as a reason for its inability to conduct assembly polls with Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The poll panel has literally repeated what it had said in 2019 when general elections were announced.

Last assembly elections in J&K were held in 2014. For nearly six years now, the region is without an elected government.

While announcing the poll schedule for general elections and assembly polls in four states – Andhra, Odisha, Arunachal and Sikkim – Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said assembly elections in J&K are due but cited security reasons for not holding them with parliament elections.

The top poll officer said entire J&K administration has refused to hold simultaneous polls because of security considerations. He, however said that it’s his commitment to hold state elections soon after parliament elections are over and there is enough availability of security forces.

Five years ago, the then chief election commissioner Sunil Arora had cited same reasons for not holding assembly polls with parliament elections in April and May 2019.

Months later, instead of elections, the Centre revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 and divided the state into two Union Territories in August 2019.

Since then the former state has gone through a controversial delimitation exercise, redrawing boundaries of 90 assembly seats. There are allegations of gerrymandering which has literally changed the electoral map of J&K.

It was followed by an amendment in J&K Reorganisation Act giving powers to J&K Lt Governor to nominate five members to J&K assembly which can further alter mandate in the assembly since nominated members will also have voting rights.

Citing amendment in J&K Reorganization Act in December, Mr Kumar said that his job to conduct elections started only three months ago when amendment was made to the Reorganization Act.

“Our meter to conduct elections started in December 2023” said Mr Kumar.

A year ago, in March 2023, Mr Kumar had said that there is a  “vacuum” in Jammu and Kashmir which needs to filled. The CEC had also that fresh revision of electoral rolls in Jammu and Kashmir will not come in the way of holding elections. 
 

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections will unfold over a span of 44 days, making it the second lengthiest electoral process in Indian history, following the inaugural parliamentary elections of 1951-52, which stretched over more than four months. Conversely, the briefest voting window for a general election was witnessed in 1980, lasting a mere four days.

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