Chief Election Commissioner to Decide Election Fate: Polls Hinge on Stakeholders’ Input

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, who was in Jammu on Wednesday to take stock of the preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, assured that J&K Assembly polls would be conducted at the earliest. “Assembly elections will be conducted after taking inputs from all political parties and security forces as we have to keep in mind that all candidates are to be given security,” he said. He also said that the Election Commission would decide on holding Lok Sabha and Assembly elections together or separately in J&K after reviewing the security situation and feedback from stakeholders.

Replying to a question regarding the delay, he maintained, “Keeping in view the change in the number of seats after August 2019 along with reservation for different sections, including Scheduled Tribe (ST), Kashmiri Pandits and displaced people from PoJK, there has been no delay in Assembly polls as the Act regarding these changes came into force in December last year.”

Kumar also said that the data pertaining to electoral bonds had been received by the poll body and it would be disclosed in time. Addressing media persons, Kumar, who along with other officials of poll panel was on a 3-day J&K visit, said, “The SBI provided the details (regarding bonds) to us in time. I will look into the data and disclose the details to the public.”

The Supreme Court (SC) had recently directed the SBI to submit the electoral bonds’ details to the electoral body.

According to the chief of the Election Commission of India, his team met different political parties who raised concerns about transparency in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. “The parties had apprehensions that there may be discrimination against them. They want a level playing field. They also want Assembly polls and Lok Sabha elections be held together,” he said.

He said the parties also alleged that the security given to the candidates of the opposition parties was inadequate due to which they are not able to campaign properly. “Some parties informed us that the voting percentage of the migrant (Kashmiri Pandits) population is less during every election,” said Kumar.

Meanwhile, the J&K National Panthers Party (JKNPP) organised a protest in Jammu, claiming that the ECI team didn’t invite it for talks. Rajiv Kumar said, “There has been a dispute in the party so there is no one we can authoritatively meet. Till the dispute is over, we cannot meet them.”

Pertinently, the JKNPP has two factions. One is led by Harsh Dev Singh and the other by Vilakshan Singh. Both leaders claim themselves to be the party presidents.

Regarding the electorate, he informed that as on March 7 this year, there were a total of 86.9 lakh voters, including 42.55 lakh women. “We have 67,000 people with disabilities, 77,290 above 85 years of age and 2,086 above 100 years in J&K. A total of 47 interstate check posts and 385 internal police check-points will be established,” he said, adding that those above 85 years and those with disability would be provided voting at home facility in J&K.

The commission held a review meeting with enforcement agencies. A coordinated approach aided by technology was called for to ensure inducement-free elections, he said.

Kumar said that to keep an eye on fake news during elections, integrated district control rooms would be established and district magistrates would act against complaints regarding fake news or misinformation.

No assembly poll delay

According to CEC Rajiv Kumar, there is no delay in Assembly poll as certain changes, such as change in the number of seats along with reservation for different sections, including Scheduled Tribes, Pandits and displaced people from PoJK, came into force in December.

Panthers party stir

The J&K National Panthers Party organised a protest in Jammu, claiming that the ECI team didn’t invite it for talks. “There has been a dispute in the party so there is no one we can authoritatively meet. Till the dispute is over, we cannot meet them,” Kumar said.