Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the Election Commission of India led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and his team will visit the union territory in the second week of August for reviewing elections preparations.
The CEC along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and SS Sandhu will visit the Union Territory from August 8-10 to review the preparedness for the upcoming assembly elections.
Official sources said the team will hold meeting with the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and other security agencies for their feedback and their preparations for the polls. The ECI team will also meet political parties representatives in the Union Territory for their feedback and suggestions.
The ECI had this week asked the Chief Secretary and DGP to transfer officers from their home districts and those officers who have three years duration of posting at a particular post before September 30 this year. The ECI said that as the elections in Jammu and Kashmir are due "in near future" the directions should be complied with.
The ECI's fresh directive and the subsequent visit is in the context of the Supreme Court directive which had asked in December last year to the Centre to hold assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir before September 30, 2014.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his Yoga Day visit to Srinagar also promised that elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir this year so that the "people have their elected representatives".
Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are long due as the last elections were held in 2014 when Jammu & Kashmir was state and PDP-BJP formed the government. However their coalition fell apart after BJP withdrew support to Mehbooba Mufti on June 18, 2018.
Following the abrogation of Article 370, the BJP government at the Centre divided the state into two UTs of Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir and put the two Union Territories under the administration of LGs.
Political parties have been demanding restoration of statehood and holding of assembly elections. Opposition Congress party has been protesting from last two weeks in the Union Territory for restoration of statehood and conduct of assembly elections.
