Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Uncertainty continues to cloud over holding of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir even as the Election Commission of India today said that the polls are due this year as the Supreme Court deadline of 30 September nears.
The ECI has asked Chief Secretaries and Chief Electoral Officers of Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and UT Jammu and Kashmir that Assembly elections are due this year and in this backdrop, they should transfer officers from their home districts and those officers who are staying for more than three years of duration at a particular posting.
ECI has specifically mentioned dates of assembly elections in Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra for this year but has kept uncertainty in Jammu and Kashmir by stating "near future."
"l am directed to state that the terms of existing State Legislative Assemblies of Haryana, Jharkhand & Maharashtra are up to 3rd November 2024, 5th January 2025 and 26th November 2024, respectively and election are due in the year 2024. Further, the election to the Legislative Assembly of UT of Jammu and Kashmir is also due in the near future," the ECI has said in its order issued today.
The Commission has directed the CEOs and chief secretaries that officers directly connected with the conduct of elections in an election-going State/UT are not posted in their home districts or places where they have served for considerably long periods or posted in home districts.
"Hence, the Commission has decided that no officer connected directly with elections shall be allowed to continue in the present district (revenue district) of posting if she/he has completed three years in that district during the last four (4) years or would be completing 3 years on or before 30th September., 2024 for UT of Jammu and Kashmir, 31st October 2024 for Haryana, 30th November 2024 for Maharashtra and 31 December. 2024 for Jharkhand," the ECI has said.
The last assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir were conducted in 2014 when the PDP and BJP formed a coalition government. However, the alliance government fell apart in June 2018 when the BJP pulled out of the government and withdrew its support to Mehbooba Mufti. Since then Jammu and Kashmir was put under the President's rule governed by a Governor and his advisors.
However, after the abrogation of Article 370 when the erstwhile state was divided into two Union Territories, the Lieutenant Governor and his lone advisor are governing Jammu and Kashmir.
Political parties are vehemently demanding the holding of Assembly elections and the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. These parties are hoping that the BJP government will comply with the Supreme Court's directions of holding polls in JK before September 30.
