Although many political entities in J&K had recently met with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar and demanded both Lok Sabha and Assembly polls to be held simultaneously, after deliberations with stakeholders and government agencies, the Election Commission has announced that the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, which have been overdue for some time, will not be held concurrently with Lok Sabha polls. Of course, conducting polls in J&K is fraught with hardships and unending challenges. Therefore, the decision by the Election Commission is somewhat justified, as the conduct of polls involves more than just managing a procedure for the electorate to exercise their right to franchise. In J&K, there are numerous bottlenecks and extraordinary challenges that the concerned agencies would have to tackle simultaneously, with security being the top priority.
However, those responsible for the conduct of polls cannot shun their responsibility of holding Assembly elections as per Apex Court's ruling pointing out alibis like difficult terrain, terrorism, shortage of security personnel, etc because for democracy to thrive, the show must go on. The reason given by the CEC that it is not possible to ensure security to people especially the candidates in case J&K goes for simultaneous polls is true to the hilt but Assembly polls have also been long due therefore preparations must be done as soon as possible by the concerned helmsmen as time of excuses have elapsed and the need of the time is holding polls to elect the UT Assembly as providing popular government is a must for delivering justice as under the incumbent set-up in the UT many rights of the people are under siege, which is not done.
Chief Election Commissioner's announcement that the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held after the Lok Sabha polls is again a vague remark because the timeline is missing in the assertion giving scope to apprehensions, which should not be the case because since long back the Election Commission has been assuring that it is ready with the preparations of Assembly polls in J&K thus making it desirable to come up with the dates as suspense in the matter is raising doubts among different entities. As people anticipate aforesaid polls before September 30, 2024, the point should be clarified by the constitutional body having the onus of conducting polls or else its credibility will be at stake as already voices have been raised in opposition circles about the party in power weakening the constitutional bodies in the country.
