Srinagar/Jammu: Cutting across party lines, political parties on Friday welcomed the Election Commission’s announcement of three-phased assembly elections beginning September 18 in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the people were eagerly waiting for the restoration of democracy in the Union Territory after six years of central rule.
Almost all the parties, including National Conference, Congress, BJP, CPI(M) and DPAP, thanked the Election Commission and said the poll announcement maintained the supremacy of the Supreme Court which had set the September 30 deadline for the holding of the much awaited assembly elections in J&K.
The Election Commission said the assembly polls in J&K would be held in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 01. The counting of votes would be on October 04.
Reacting to the EC announcement, National Conference vice-president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah said it was better late than never.
“Some time back, the ECI announced the schedule for assembly elections in J&K. People of J&K were waiting for this day for a long time. It is better late than never,” Abdullah told reporters in Srinagar.
The former chief minister said it is perhaps for the first time after the 1987-88 polls, that the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are being held in a short time and in just a few phases.
“It obviously will be a new experiment for the political parties. But as far as our party is concerned, the NC was prepared for this day and will soon start electioneering,” he added.
Abdullah said Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has made a thrust on conducting free and fair polls in Jammu and Kashmir and called on the poll body to take notice of the massive transfers in the police and civil administration in the Union Territory in the last 24 hours.
“We have doubts that this government is helping the BJP and its B, C and D teams. The ECI should immediately take notice and examine them and stop those transfers which are outside their guidelines,” he said.
Itija Mufti, the daughter of former chief minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti, also welcomed the EC’s announcement.
“The PDP welcomes the poll announcement,” Iltija said, highlighting the long wait for democratic processes to resume in the region.
Despite her approval, she raised several concerns about the current political climate.
“The state had semi-autonomous status, we had our own constitution, our own flag and residuary powers. But in the last five years, not only the fundamental rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, but democracy has been suspended,” Mufti said.
The election should have taken place six years ago, she said and wondered what took the Election Commission (EC) six years to announce the polls.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir have been suffering because of babudom. Officers have been brought from outside and they act as viceroys. They have no political accountability. We are happy now that the issues of the people will get redressed and there will be accountability by way of an elected government,” she added.
The media advisor of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said her party wants the polls to be conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner.
“No political party should be favoured,” she added.
Referring to the massive shake up of the police and civil administration in the last 24 hours, Mufti said hours before the declaration of the election, 150 to 200 officers were “arbitrarily” transferred by the LG’s administration.
“We know that the LG administration is full of prejudice and bias. It favours the BJP and has been hostile towards the other political parties here. The DGP used to issue political statements, although it was not his jurisdiction,” she said.
To a question about an alliance with other political parties, Mufti said she cannot say anything with a guarantee. “This decision has to be taken by the party’s political affairs committee, by the senior leaders, along with the party president,” she said.
However, Mufti said ideally, all parties should come together and “fight for what was snatched from us”.
Asked if Mehbooba Mufti would contest the polls, she said while she cannot answer on her behalf, she does not think that the PDP chief wants to fight this election.
“Better late than never”, senior vice-president of Pradesh Congress Committee Ravinder Sharma said while reacting to the announcement by the Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.
He said the people in J&K were waiting for the assembly elections for the past six years after the fall of PDP-BJP government in June 2018.
“Though we were pressing for restoration of full statehood before the holding of assembly elections, the announcement by the Election Commission is a welcome step and we are hopeful that the commission will ensure level playing field and adequate security without any discrimination,” Sharma, who is also the chief spokesperson of the Congress, said.
He also hoped that the EC would look into the massive reshuffle in police and civil administration ordered in the Union Territory on the day of the announcement of polls.
“There should be no unnecessary transfers and if such a thing had happened, the Election Commission should take appropriate action,” the Congress leader said.
AICC general secretary G A Mir thanked the EC for announcing the polls in a region where the last assembly polls were held in 2014 and said the supremacy of the apex court which had set September 30 as deadline for the assembly elections in J&K has been maintained.
He said the central government has promised assembly elections after delimitation but the exercise was completed long back.
“People are eagerly waiting for the formation of the popular government and the announcement of the polls reflects the aspirations of the people. We have full faith that people in J&K will take part in elections in a big way and elect their representatives,” he said.
Quoting an Urdu couplet “badi dair kardi mehrban aate aate (you took a long time to come, kind one)”, Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari said his party welcomed the EC’s decision to hold the polls.
“Now we will have a people’s government Inshallah (God willing) by October 5,” Bukhari said.
Senior CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami also welcomed the announcement of polls for Jammu and Kashmir.
“It is welcome that after a long time the EC has announced the schedule for elections to the assembly. We also welcome the statement of the EC that it will be a full democratic exercise by ensuring level playing field to all parties and contestants besides sufficient security for candidates and voters as well,” Tarigami said.
J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina said “we are highly grateful to ECI for the announcement of assembly elections in J&K.”
The party media incharge Pradeep Malhotra said they are fully prepared for the elections and requested the people to take part in the upcoming elections enthusiastically.
Malhotra expressed hope that the elections would be peaceful and violence-free.
Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir were last held in November 2014, resulting in the PDP and the BJP forming a coalition government led by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed.
His death in 2016 led to Mehbooba Mufti taking up the mantle of leadership as chief minister of the coalition government.
The BJP pulled out of the government in June 2018 and the state was put under Governor’s rule. The state assembly was dissolved in 2018.
On August 05, 2019, the Centre abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated and downgraded the erstwhile state into two Union territories — Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir.
As anticipation builds for the elections, political parties are gearing up for a pivotal moment in Jammu and Kashmir’s democratic landscape. (With inputs from PTI)
