Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar affirmed on Friday the Election Commission’s commitment to conducting assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest opportunity. Leading a team on a three-day visit to the Union Territory, Kumar emphasized that the Commission will thwart any attempts, internal or external, to disrupt the electoral process. “We are committed to conducting polls in Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest and we will not let any internal or external forces derail the election,” Kumar reiterated during a press conference in Jammu.
Kumar noted that all political parties in the region are strongly advocating for assembly elections. The Election Commission delegation, which includes Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and SS Sandhu, is evaluating the preparedness of administrative and security agencies for the upcoming polls. The team met with political party representatives at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Sringar on Thursday and held discussions with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Dullo and Police Chief R R Swain on Friday.
Jammu and Kashmir has been under Central administration since June 2018, following the collapse of a coalition government led by the People’s Democratic Party’s Mehbooba Mufti, after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) withdrew its support. The legislative assembly was dissolved in late 2018, and elections, initially due in early 2019, have faced delays due to the bifurcation of the state into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh in August 2019, and the subsequent abrogation of Article 370. The required delimitation process was completed in 2022.
In December of the previous year, the Supreme Court directed the Central government to conclude the election process by September 30, 2024. The Election Commission’s current visit underscores its resolve to expedite the electoral process and ensure it is conducted smoothly and securely.
Original Story https://www.livemint.com/news/india/eci-committed-to-conducting-assembly-polls-in-j-k-at-the-earliest-cec-rajiv-kumar-in-jammu-11723198438081.html
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