Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in Srinagar that preparations for assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir have begun, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered the exercise of voter list updation in the Union Territory for conduct of the much-delayed assembly elections.
"It is to state that the election to the legislative assembly in your state is due to be held later this year and section 21(2) of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1950 provides that the electoral shall be revised concerning the qualifying date before each general election to the Legislative Assembly of a state," ECI has notified to the chief electoral officers of three poll bound states and the UT of Jammu and Kashmir. The ECI has asked the CEOs to complete the exercise by August 20.
The ECI has asked the CEOs to complete the exercise by August 20 and maximize the registration of all eligible citizens, who are attaining the age of 18 years on or before Ist July 2024. ECI has said that this is the second second summary revision of photo electoral rolls which will begin from July 1 while the revision of electoral rolls will begin from July 25 and end on August 20. The CEOs will carry out pre-revision activities in J&K from June 25 to July 24 before the electoral roll revision.
Assembly elections are likely to be held in JK after completion of Amarnath Yatra that concludes on August 19. The home ministry has not called off the additional 60,000 paramilitary forces personnel from Jammu and Kashmir which were deployed for parliamentary elections. Officials said these forces will be deployed for Amarnath Yatra and then more additional companies will be deployed for conducting assembly elections.
Jammu and Kashmir chief electoral officer P K Pole had told ETV Bharat in May during parliamentary elections that assembly elections will be held in the month of September after the completion of Amarnath Yatra.
The Prime Minister was in Srinagar to participate in International Yoga Day today (June 21) at Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Center (SKICC) where 7000 participants were scheduled to take part in yoga, but the rainfall in the valley disrupted the major function.
Immediately after landing in Srinagar on June 20 evening, Modi addressed the ‘Empowering Youth, Transforming J&K’ event in SKICC and assured restoration of democratic rights to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, which was welcomed by the political parties.
"Preparations for Assembly elections have begun. The day is not far when the people of Jammu and Kashmir will vote to elect their government. I am making efforts to bridge distances between Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir, ensuring connection of hearts," Modi said while addressing the youth.
Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir are eagerly awaiting holding of assembly elections which have not been held since 2018 when the BJP pulled out from the PDP coalition government. Since June 2018, Jammu and Kashmir has been under the longest spell of six years of president's rule. Following abrogation of article 370 and division of state into UT's of JK and Ladakh, JK is administered by LG and his lone advisor.
