The Election Commission will visit Jammu and Kashmir next week to look after situations to take a call on Assembly Polls in the Valley, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora told Media on Friday. Arora added that ‘The Poll Panel will hold a meeting with Home Ministry Officials and then visit the state to take a call on the Assembly Polls in the state’.
Currently, Jammu and Kashmir is under President’s rule, that was enacted in the valley after 6 months rule Governor ended on December 20 last year.
READ: Centre gives a nod to President’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir
CEC Sunil Arora also told reporters, ‘We had held a meeting (through video conference) with the chief secretary and the DGP of Jammu and Kashmir. Similarly, when the Assembly was dissolved prematurely, we had sought specific inputs from the MHA,” said CEC.
‘Next Week or 8-10 days later we will another meeting with MHA and the Poll Commission will itself visit the state to take stock on the situation. Then Only we will be in a position to let you know more about this’ said Chief Election Commission Sunil Arora.
On whether the commission was planning to hold Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana along with the Lok Sabha elections, Arora said as of now no decision has been taken in that context. “We have no formal or informal inputs that the assemblies are going to be dissolved prematurely. So the question is quite premature,” he said.
However, there are reports that suggest that BJP may opt for premature dissolution of Assemblies in Maharastra, Haryana and Jharkhand.
The Political Crisis in the Jammu and Kashmir occurred in June last year when PDP led Coalition Government was reduced to a minority in 87-member assembly after the withdrawal of support by 25 Bharatiya Janata Party’s Lawmakers in the state.
The Governor Satya Pal Malik had in November last year dissolved the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly citing reports of Horse-Trading, and possible exchange of money to gain power. Later, Governor Satyapal Malik said “Delhi wanted Sajad, But I didn’t want to be ‘Dishonest’.
Earlier on January 28 (Tuesday), State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shailendra Kumar reviewed and interacted with the district election officers through video conferencing and look after the progress of preparations for the impending Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state.
He called for putting in place all election-related arrangements well in advance in their districts and plugging the gaps, if any, in time.
Hope for the best in J&k may the valley rest in peace..