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| J&K Assembly polls likely in Nov | | Security concerns, ground preparations cited as reasons for delay | | Early Times Report
Jammu, May 8: Chances are high that the Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in November this year and the new government is likely to be formed in January next year.
Sources privy to this development told Early Times on Wednesday that there were suggestions from various political circles that the Assembly polls should be held soon after the conclusion of Lok Sabha elections in May this year. However, the government is of the opinion that holding state polls in November will be practical and secure to a large extent.
Officials believe that if polls are held during winters, it will help the security grid to do ground work more comprehensively to avoid any trouble. Also, the recent incidents of killing of political workers in South Kashmir is leaving the security grid with no option but to overhaul the existing security norms.
As per the reports, the announcement of holding of state elections will be made after the results of parliament elections on May 23 this year, and the new government in place will take final call over the suggestions put forth by the experts in this regard.
On January 3 this year, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the Modi government was considering to hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir along with the Lok Sabha. However, the proposal could not materialise due to various reasons.
After 1996, it was for the first time the Central rule was imposed in the militancy-hit state. Governor's rule was imposed in the state on June 19 last year when the BJP withdrew its support from the PDP and toppled the government.
There were speculations that the two parties were trying hard to stitch the common ground together and form the government again. Also, there were reports that the rebel group led by the PDP leader Imran Ansari was preparing for a major coup and would form the government in the state.
However, these speculations were put to rest by the Governor when he dissolved the state legislative assembly amid the much political chaos. What remains to be seen is whether the Election Commission will give go ahead with the idea of holding the polls in November.
The Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik had earlier said that the government would focus on ensuring that Panchayat polls are held peacefully and successfully in the state. The Governor had hinted at how these polls would act as a drill for the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. "Once these are done peacefully, we will look at fresh elections as soon as possible," Governor had said.
He added that the government doesn't want to cobble together a government through any underhand means. "After the ongoing elections, we will start looking at holding fresh elections for the J&K assembly. There is no plan to form a government by engineering defections," Governor Malik had said last year. |
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