JK poll suspense persists but two clear views emerge

As the Election Commission of India (EC) readies to announce the Lok Sabha poll schedule, suspense persists on Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) assembly elections but the recent EC visit to J&K threw up two clear and opposite views, ET has learnt.

Political parties have unequivocally sought simultaneous parliamentary and assembly elections in J&K in their discussions with EC. Many are learnt to have said that if the Centre is looking at a 'One Nation, One Election' plan, it should make a start with J&K which has been without an elected government since the PDP-BJP coalition collapsed in June 2018.

However, both the administrative and security establishment have made assessments that indicate that conducting a simultaneous assembly poll will be hugely challenging.


It is estimated an additional 750 or so companies of paramilitary forces will need to deployed- over and above Lok Sabha election related deployment- for conduct of simultaneous assembly polls. ECI is learnt to have earlier sought nearly 635 companies for holding parliamentary polls alone in the border state.

The heavy deployment required for a simultaneous poll is not seen as feasible amid Lok Sabha elections across the country by the administrative machinery.

Both the views will be reconsidered closely by the ECI before taking a final call on the poll calendar for J&K.