Residents of Jammu Kashmir appear to have grown numb to the constant political upheavals that have plagued the region, particularly in terms of the ‘lackluster' democracy. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, the head of the Union Territory, who would have held a different position under a popularly elected government, has indicated that Urban Local Body elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be postponed indefinitely, pending the completion of delimitation and the process of reserving seats for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
The fluctuating political statements regarding elections in Jammu and Kashmir have left the populace disillusioned and sceptical. One day, a central minister visits the Union Territory and asserts that elections are imminent, while the next, a local authority contradicts this claim, revealing a clear disconnect between public announcements and actual intentions. The true power to initiate the electoral process resides elsewhere, and the delay in holding elections seems to be a deliberate tactic to mislead the public and gain time for ulterior motives.
There is no doubt that the recent statement by LG Sinha was preceded by intense speculation over a possible delay in holding elections. The alibis for delaying polls are also interesting ones because one day it is a security concern, the other day the delimitation.
It is pertinent to mention that the tenure of Srinagar Municipal Corporation ended on November 5 while the Jammu civic body completed its five-year tenure on November 14. Other municipal bodies across the Union territory will finish their tenure by the end of this month. The last ULB and panchayat elections in the UT were held between October and December 2018, after a long wait.
There is not an iota of doubt that such remarks form the basis for the disappointment to the electorate as every single soul in J&K wanted democracy to thrive but those helming the affairs have different objectives and goals leading to contradictions in statements by the LG, party in power, central ministers and the opposition, making the people in the Union Territory a confused lot.
