Jammu and Kashmir parties for joint state, Lok Sabha polls

Srinagar: Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have urged a team of the Election Commission of India (ECI), which is on a two-day visit to the state, to hold the parliamentary and assembly elections simultaneously.

On Monday, the ECI team, led by Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, held consultations with the National Conference (NC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Indian National Congress, BJP, CPM and other parties.

“The ECI should not wait as the situation in J&K is fragile. Lok Sabha and Assembly polls should happen together so that the prevailing uncertainty and political tensions are put to an end by the elected government,” NC general secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar told the ECI delegation.


Similarly, PDP vice-president Abdul Rehman Veeri said that they informed the ECI that the prevailing uncertainty on the ground could only be handled by the elected government and thus simultaneous elections are a necessity now.

“The governor’s administration is a temporary arrangement and it cannot be stretched. We told them that assembly elections should happen along with the parliamentary elections,” Veeri told ET. The Congress delegation, led by senior Congress leader Taj Mohi-ud-din, also pitched for the same.

“Security agencies have to create a conducive atmosphere for polls. We are ready for both the elections and it should be held together,” Mohi-ud-din told reporters after meeting the ECI.

CPM leader MY Tarigami said: “The only effective response to the prevailing situation is to initiate a democratic process and hold elections to the assembly and Lok Sabha simultaneously. Any delay to do so will hamper the process of improvement in the current situation.”

The ECI team held a marathon meeting with civil and police officials and asked the state authorities to mobilise people and create an atmosphere free of intimidation by ensuring sufficient number of security personnel on the ground.

“The commission desires that these elections should be the most inclusive with absolute neutrality by people involved in organising them. Holding election in any part of India is a challenge because of various factors such as topography, population density, holidays, etc,” Arora said in Srinagar.

The ECI delegation flew to Jammu in the evening and will hold deliberations with stakeholders there.