Amir Karim Tantray

The Jammu and Kashmir Government is likely to submit a report to the Centre next week about its preparations for holding simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, according to highly placed sources.

In assessing the ground situation for the elections, much of the work has been done despite the disruptions caused by weather and law and order situation in Kashmir,” official sources said.

This assessment has been done over and above the panels constituted by the state government for the purpose, the sources said

The state government is expected to submit its report to the Centre next week, the sources said. The state has been enthused following the Home Minister’s statement in Parliament that the Centre had “no objection” to holding simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in J&K.

The state government had constituted panels at the divisional and district levels to explore the possibilities for holding simultaneous general election and Assembly elections. “These panels headed by the Divisional Commissioners will be looking at the ground situation for both the elections,” said Chief Electoral Officer Shalinder Kumar.

The state Assembly was dissolved on November 21 after having been kept in suspended animation for over five months following the fall of the PDP-BJP government on June 19, when the saffron party withdrew support to the Mehbooba Mufti-led coalition government.

The process of assessing the ground situation for the elections became a necessity after the state came under President’s rule on December 19, and as per rules the elections to the new Assembly should be held within six months of the President’s rule, that is May 19, 2019. It coincides with the Lok Sabha poll across the country, including J&K.

The security situation, weather conditions and the connectivity factors weigh heavily in the J&K assessment reports. Since the municipal and panchayat elections were held successfully without much of a law and order problem, the state government is hopeful of holding peaceful parliamentary and Assembly elections as well. The polls are expected to be held in April-May when the weather conditions are favourable for poll activity and ferrying the election material to distant places.

Ground assessment

• The process of assessing the ground situation for the elections became a necessity for J&K after the state came under President’s rule on December 19
• As per rules, the elections to the new Assembly should be held within six months of the President’s rule, that is May 19, 2019. The time coincides with the Lok Sabha poll period

Courtesy:The Tribune,Jan05,2019