 Early Times Report
Srinagar, Aug 8: A team of the Election Commission of India led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar arrived here on Thursday and met the representatives of political parties at the Sheri Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC).
The office of the chief electoral officer, Jammu and Kashmir, had on Tuesday issued letters to various political parties, inviting them for a meeting with the ECI.
Representatives of various political parties, including the National Conference (NC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), BJP, Congress, and Jammu and Kashmir Panthers Party arrived at the SKICC to meet the ECI team, the officials said.
Several senior officials of police and civil administration, including J-K Chief Electoral Officer P K Pole, were also present at the SKICC, they said.
The ECI team landed in Kashmir to review preparedness for Assembly polls, weeks before the Supreme Court’s September 30 deadline for holding elections in the Union Territory.
ECI Kumar was accompanied by Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and S S Sandhu.
The Commission reviewed the preparations with election offi A ECI team led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar arrived in Srinagar and met the representatives of political parties.
Representatives of NC, PDP, BJP, Congress, and others met the ECI team and put forth their views.
The team reviewed the preparations with election officers and police superintendents of all districts, as well as the Chief Secretary and the DGP..
The 3-day visit will culminate on August 10 in Jammu where the ECI will take a review meeting with enforcement agencies.
The three-day visit will culminate on August 10 at Jammu where the ECI will take a review meeting with enforcement agencies. It will also hold a press conference in Jammu to brief the media on the review process.
Earlier in March this year, Kumar — who was then the sole member of the three-member Commission to visit the Union Territory — had assured political parties and the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the poll panel would soon hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
At that time, the two posts of Election Commissioners were vacant. They were filled days before the Lok Sabha polls were announced on March 16.
After a record turnout in the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Kumar had said, “This active participation is a huge positive for Assembly elections to be held soon so that the democratic process continues to thrive in the Union Territory.”
Besides meeting the political parties, the Commission will also review the situation with the chief electoral officer and the central forces coordinator. | 