Modi government wants Jammu & Kashmir elections on time

NEW DELHI: With Jammu & Kashmir floods having receded and signs of normalcy returning to the state, there is a view in the government that assembly polls should be held as per schedule.

Incidentally, even the Election Commission is considering holding the polls in December, after a consultation held by its top official with political parties in the state found all but the ruling National Conference favouring elections on time.

"The government feels that rehabilitation and reconstruction work can go on even as polls are held to elect a new state government. If the EC approaches us, we will endorse the view that the polls should be held as per schedule. There is time for the entire election process to be set in motion, as the term of the current J&K assembly is expiring only on January 19," a top official of the central government told TOI.

The BJP feels the time is right for polls in J&K as its image may have received a boost in the Jammu region following the Centre's tough response to firing by Pakistani forces along the LoC and IB. Also, the massive rescue and rehabilitation work carried out by the Central agencies in the flood-hit areas have not gone unappreciated.

The Election Commission is studying the report of deputy election commissioner Vinod Zutshi, based on his visit to the state last week. According to his feedback, all parties in J&K, including Congress, PDP and BJP want elections on time. National Conference was the only exception, demanding that the polls be postponed in the wake of devastation caused by the floods.

However, political observers link NC's reluctance to an early electoral contest to its fear of defeat in the wake of failure to deal effectively with the recent flood crisis.

A senior EC functionary said a special revision of rolls in J&K is not mandatory and that the assembly polls can be held as per rolls used for the Lok Sabha poll.

An EC team is likely to visit J&K after the Maharashtra-Haryana election before it takes a final call on the poll timing.