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| No scope for assembly elections before mid October | | | Early Times Special Correspondent
Jammu | Apr 28
News Analysis
Any speculation about State Assembly elections to be held before mid October are brushed aside by the sources as mere kite flying and not based on the ground reality of the situation. The process for recruitment to gazetted and non gazetted services, the filling of which was kept in abeyance temporarily last month, for the same to be filled just before the elections, as a means to influence the voters, has been initiated only last week. About 70,000 jobs in various government departments, semi government agencies and autonomous public sector undertakings are slated to be offered, which also includes recruitment of about 20,000 Anganwari workers as well as special police officers, besides filling up of the available vacancies which have been advertised about 2 to 3 years ago. Even if the filling of post is done through fast track method, it will take at least two to three months to accomplish the task. Thus holding of elections in May—June is totally ruled out.
From late June till August 16 the attention of the administration and the security forces will be focused mainly on smooth conduct of two month long Amarnath Yatra. During this period security forces cannot be spared for deployment on duty in connection with the holding of elections. Even if more companies of paramilitary central forces are requisitioned, the forces already on duty in J&K will be bearing the main brunt of the election exercise. In September falls Ramdan, with Id-ul-Fiter falling on October 2. Holding of assembly elections during the Muslim holy month of fastening is ruled out, in view of the religious sentiments of the Muslim majority community in the state involved. The political leaders too will not like to be very active in electioneering, which generates bitterness and mud throwing on each other, during the holy month of Ramdan. Still another bottle neck which has lately come up and has to be tackled is fresh screening of all the photo electoral identity cards issued to the voters in many parts of Kashmir valley. In view of coming to light of some militants, who were Pak nationals, having obtained photo electoral identity cards, in the name of person different, with their photos on the same, the thorough screening of these cards ahs been necessitated. The Election Commission of India has initiated holding consultations with the Chief electoral officer J&K and other officials connected with holding of elections, for thorough screening of all the electoral identity cards issued in some districts of Kashmir, to delete the bogus photo identity cards issued to the undesirable elements.
Under these circumstances the holding of assembly elections will be possible only after the first week of October and in no case earlier than this. This can well meet the deadline for constituting the new assembly by November 6. The weather in month of October is also quite pleasant both in Jammu as well as Kashmir. Even in Ladakh this month can suit since in November Srinagar—Ladakh road gets closed and also cold season sets in upper hilly areas of the state.
Even if at any stage, the constituents in the coalition government had thought of recommending to the election commissioner for holding early elections, after the Prime Minister's visit, they must have changed their opinion. The Prime Minister's visit to Jammu instead of proving as a boon for the Congress as well as the PDP to serve their electoral prospects, has proved only counterproductive, with all sections of the people conveying their disappointment, with their hopes pinned on the same having dashed to the ground. It is in the light of this realization that the Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad is hard set on damage control exercise, selling the sops offered by the Prime Minister in sugar quoted packets and explaining the positive aspects of the same. But it is the perception of the common people about their aspirations having been fulfilled or not, which is more important and which has its impact on the electoral prospects of the parties in the ruling combine. |
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