Democracy Revived in J&K: Assembly Elections Announced After a Decade
Ten years since the last Assembly elections and the first for the Union Territory that was created in 2019, Jammu and Kashmir is headed for a three-phased election in September and October, with the Election Commission announcing the schedule on Friday. Polling will be held in J&K on September 18, September 25 and October 1, and votes will be counted on October 4.
The EC also announced the schedule for the Haryana Assembly elections — polling on October 1 and counting on October 4. After announcing the poll schedule, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar told The Indian Express: “This election schedule is the shortest for Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections in a few decades. We would assure all the required security to candidates and facilities to electors. The best answer to the bullet is through the ballot, as was shown in the Lok Sabha elections. We are expecting electors and parties to participate with even greater enthusiasm.”
Both Houses have 90 seats each, with 87.09 lakh electors in J&K and 2.01 crore in Haryana as per the draft electoral rolls. The first phase in J&K will cover 24 Assembly constituencies of the Anantnag, Kishtwar, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, Ramban and Doda districts, which are considered more challenging in terms of security.
With 26 seats, the second phase will cover the Rajouri, Reasi, Poonch, Budgam, Srinagar and Ganderbal districts. The last phase of 40 constituencies will cover Jammu, Samba, Udhampur, Kathua, Kupwara, Bandipora and Baramulla.
These would be the shortest Assembly elections in J&K in at least 28 years as the 2014, 2008, 2002 and 1996 elections were held over five, seven, four and four phases, respectively.
When Assembly elections were due in 2019, the EC had decided not to hold the polls due to security concerns. After that, Parliament passed the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019, taking away the special status of J&K and creating two Union Territories — J&K and Ladakh — which followed a delimitation process that increased the seats in J&K, including four seats of Ladakh, from 87 to 90 (without Ladakh) in 2022. Last year, the Supreme Court ordered the EC to hold the J&K elections by September 30, 2024.
CEC Kumar said when the EC visited J&K last week to review preparations, all political parties had raised the demand for equal security cover for candidates and office-bearers.
He said security would be provided as assessed by the administration. He said adequate forces are available in J&K since the Amarnath Yatra is on until August 19, and a “sufficient” amount of forces will be deployed further as well.
Asked about the challenge of the recent attacks in Jammu, Kumar said: “The people are ready to take on the challenge… We are all ready to face the challenge.”
In the past three election cycles, Haryana and Maharashtra polls were announced together. With the terms of Haryana and Maharashtra Assemblies ending on November 3 and November 26, respectively, the CEC said since the J&K elections had to be held now and the requirement of forces there was higher, it was decided to hold only J&K and Haryana elections together.
He said another election would not be announced while the J&K polls were on. Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly elections are expected later this year.
