The Narendra Modi administration’s recent announcement of a committee to look into simultaneous State and Union elections indicates that Jammu and Kashmir is unlikely to go to the polls anytime soon, despite assurances that the administration is ready whenever the Election Commission of India (ECI) decides. Meanwhile, the ECI remains bafflingly silent though Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Electoral Officer has stated that panchayat, municipal and Lok Sabha elections will all be held this ‘financial year’. If those elections can be held, why not Assembly elections? The reason cannot be security: panchayat elections have to be conducted on a much larger scale as they involve over 30,000 posts.
In March 2023, a delegation of 13 political parties, led by Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference, met ECI officials to urge that Assembly election dates be fixed. Any further delay, their memorandum said, ‘would amount to denial of fundamental and democratic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and a breach of constitutional obligations’. The delegation was assured that its request would be considered, but no action has been taken to date.
