ECI to discuss J&K Assembly polls today

NEW DELHI — The Election Commission is set to hold an important meeting today to discuss the modalities for holding the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

The meeting comes a day after the Chief Election Commissioner, Sunil Arora announced that the Assembly elections would not be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha election 2019.

Jammu and Kashmir is set to vote for its six Lok Sabha constituencies – Baramulla, Srinagar, Anantnag, Ladakh, Udhampur and Jammu – in the fifth phase.

Announcing the schedule for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections on Sunday, Arora had said the decision to hold the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections separately had been made on the basis of the prevailing security situation in the state.

However, Assembly elections will proceed in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim.

The decision has been taken as the ECI received information regarding constraint of availability of Central forces for the security of the people in the wake of recent violence in Jammu and Kashmir. Arora added that the election observers have been closely monitoring the situation in the state.

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was dissolved in November 2018 after the ruling coalition between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) fell apart in June last year.

The six-year term in J&K is scheduled to end on March 16, 2021.

The state is currently under President’s Rule; hence the ECI is bound to hold fresh polls there as well within a six-month period, which will end in May.

Polling in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in five phases on April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29 and May 06.

For the first time in India’s electoral history, the Parliamentary election for Anantnag constituency will take place in three phases. (Agencies)