Srinagar: In absence of an elected assembly, it was for the second time that Jammu & Kashmir did not vote for Presidential elections held on Monday. Between 1990 and 1996, Jammu & Kashmir was under presidential rule for six years. In 1992, J&K didn't vote in the absence of elected MLAs.
J&K has been under presidential rule since 2018. The state was downgraded and divided into two union territories in August 2019. The erstwhile JK Assembly had 87 elected MLAs who would vote in the presidential election. However, at present, only the five elected Parliamentarians - -two from the ruling BJP and three from National Conference--were scheduled to vote in the polls.
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The Election Commission of India which announced the polls for July 18, did not set up any polling station in J&K, and all five MPs from the UT were supposed to cast their votes at Room No 63, 1st Floor, Parliament House, New Delhi, where elected MPs of both the Houses are entitled to vote.
In the last presidential elections, NC had supported opposition UPA candidate Meira Kumar while PDP voted in favour of BJP-led NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind as it was then in a coalition government with BJP in Jammu and Kashmir. The term of Kovind will end on July 25 and the new president will take over on July 25.
