Jammu And Kashmir's Record Voter Turnout Sign Of Early Assembly Polls? CEC Rajiv Kumar Thinks So

The Supreme Court of India has asked the government and the Election Commission of India to facilitate assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir before September 2024. When the Election Commission announced dates for the Lok Sabha polls, CEC Kumar maintained that the assembly polls could not be held simultaneously due to a lack of resources as candidates in J&K require adequate security. He said that resources would be free after the parliamentary polls and then the date of polls for the J&K would be announced.

Jammu And Kashmir Lok Sabha Polls

The voter turnout in Kashmir has been impressive as some of the seats in the valley recorded the highest turnout in several decades. Of the six Lok Sabha seats in the region, Anantnag-Rajouri recorded a 54.46% turnout, Udhampur 68.27%, Jammu 72.22%, Srinagar 38.49%, Baramulla 59.10% and the Union Territory of Ladakh (earlier part of J&K), recorded around 71.82% turnout.

CEC's Response To Turnout

Chief Election Commissioner of India Rajiv Kumar said that the turnout is encouraging and indicated holding early assembly polls. "We are very encouraged. The turnout is music to the ears. So many people are coming happily - young, elderly, women. People are strengthening the roots of democracy through their participation. They (Kashmir) deserve their government and we will initiate the process for assembly elections very soon,” said Rajiv Kumar.

Jammu And Kashmir Assembly Polls

The last time when an assembly election was held in Jammu and Kashmir was in December 2014. Of the 87 seats, the PDP won 28, BJP 25, National Conference 15 and Congress two. The BJP and the PDP had then formed a coalition government but in 2018, the alliance collapsed. In August 2019, the Central government abrogated Article 370, creating two UTs out of the state of Jammu and Kashmir - UT of Ladakh and UT of Jammu and Kashmir.