SRINAGAR: Chief Election Commissioner of India Rajiv Kumar Wednesday said that the Commission will take a final call on holding concurrent Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in JK after thorough consultations with the security agencies and political parties. He was addressing a press briefing in Jammu.
“We equally concerned about LS and Assembly polls in JK,” Chief Election Commissioner of India, Rajiv Kumar told a press conference in Jammu.
During his three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir to assess the regions readiness for five Lok Sabha seats and the possibility of simultaneous Assembly elections, Kumar clarified that the Election Commission had not delayed the Assembly polls. He pointed out that all necessary legislative processes were completed by December 2023.
“As far as holding the LS and Assembly polls simultaneously, we will hold thorough consultations with the security agencies and also get the feedback from the political parties,” he said, in reply to a query whether the Commission intends to hold LS and Assembly polls simultaneously.
Replying to a query about security needs, the CEC of India said that they will draw a sketch and see how much is the requirement for LS polls and Assembly polls. “We will also see how much will be the security requirement if both elections are held concurrently,” Kumar said.
He said that there are 86.9 lakh voters in JK including first time voters and voters above 100 years of age. “We will ensure free and fair polls,” he said. The CEC of India said that incase of any mischief, violence or fake news, the same should be reported on vigil portal. “Action will follow within 100 minutes of the uploading of the complaint,” he said.
About the ECI team’s visit to Kashmir and Jammu, Kumar said that they met various political parties in Srinagar and majority of them demanded concurrent LS and Assembly polls. “Some parties complained that security cover of their candidates has been trimmed unnecessarily and they are not given permissions to carry out political activities,” he said.
Kumar said that the issue of less participation of migrant voters in the election process also popped up. “Official teams will visit migrant voters in Jammu and urge them to participate in polls,” he said.
He said of the total voters, there are 44 lakh male and 42 female voters. “The ratio is almost the same. There are 67,000 voters with disabilities, 77,290 voters over the age of 85, and 2,886 centenarians. Notably, over 3.4 lakh individuals are first-time voters, reflecting a vibrant and dynamic electoral landscape,” the CEC said.
The CEC said that victory of the ballot is a festival of democracy,” he said, adding that for the first time, persons with disabilities will have a facility to vote from home. “A team will visit the house of disabled voter along with the candidate. Same will be vediographed,” he said.
It may recalled that the Supreme Court in its judgement has stated that statehood to JK should be granted and Assembly polls be held before September 2024.
Besides, Kumar outlined measures to enhance security and facilitate voting, including setting up special camps for Kashmiri migrant Pandits and providing voting facilities for elderly and disabled citizens.
