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| Polls: Before November or After February? | | EC MEET TODAY | | Early Times Desk
Jammu | Sep 7
Embattled ahead of the poll season, as Jammu is striding back to normalcy and efforts are being made to restore some order of semblance in Kashmir Valley, all eyes are now focused on Monday’s meeting of the Election Commission of India where parties have been invited for consultations on the schedule for forthcoming assembly elections.
Assembly elections are due in Jammu and Kashmir by October-November but the adverse situation prevailing in the state has made things uncertain. The Election Commission of India has convened a meeting of all major political parties to have first consultation for gathering an assessment of the situation before poll schedule could be announced.
While reports indicate the Central Government is not only serious but also committed to holding election as per due schedule in the state, the parties appear to be in a double mind. After hectic meetings with their cadres some of the parties have been able to make their position clear.
The BJP says that elections should be held at their ‘due time at any cost’. Any delay in election will further the separatist agenda and fastening of mainstream political activity with neutralize their agenda, feels the BJP. On the other hand, the PDP, one of the main contenders in Kashmir Valley, has made it abundantly clear that elections can not be held by this year-end. “The need of the hour is to repair bruised psyche of the Kashmiri people and not to push the state to elections”, observed a resolution passed by the PDP working committee.
National Conference, the only party which has significant presence in all parts of state, too appears to be in a mood to put off the elections for a while. The party, sources said, is reported to be split in two opinions. One section favours that if there is lesser polling in case of early elections the NC will stand at an advantageous position in the Valley. The other opinion feels that too less poll percentage will damage legitimacy of elections.
The Panthers Party, which is also emerging as reckonable power in Jammu region, too has indicated that elections be putt off. Its leader Harsh Dev Singh has reasoned that elections should be held only fresh delimitation of assembly constituencies. This demand is not likely to gain currency.
Holding elections in time and that too with impressive poll percentage is a compulsion for the Central Government. If elections are putt off to early next year in that case the Governor’s rule will have to be replaced by the President’s rule by January 10 for another period of six months. Putting a politically sensitive state like Jammu and Kashmir to the direct rule twice does not hold for the reputation of Central Government.
The biggest challenge before New Delhi is to ensure a significant poll percentage in Kashmir Valley which at present appears to be too difficult. The Center and the Governor’s administration are, however, making several concerted efforts to bring down the level estrangement in Kashmir.
A war-footing work pace on Cross-LoC trade and the Mughal Road are steps in the direction of easing situation in the Valley with these Confidence Building Measures. |
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