Last Updated on March 12, 2024 at 6:17 pm
During their meeting today with the Election Commission of India (ECI) team headed by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar in Srinagar, delegations of political parties sought simultaneous assembly elections in J&K with the coming Lok Sabha polls.
The ECI team reached J&K on Monday on a three days visit to review the poll preparedness.
The political parties whose representatives met the ECI team include the Congress, National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), BJP, CPI (M) and the J&K Apni Party.
Nasir Aslam Wani, who led the NC delegation, said they impressed upon the Election Commission the need for holding assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir together with the Lok Sabha polls. “We told the commission that it has been 10 years that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been deprived of their democratic rights. The commission gave us a patient hearing,” Wani said.
Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura, who led the PDP team, said his party also batted for holding assembly and Lok Sabha elections simultaneously. “It is now up to the Election Commission to decide on this,” he told reporters after the meeting.
The Congress delegation led by former PCC chief Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed demanded a level playing field to all parties including opposition especially in the matter of security to prominent leaders and functionaries. Senior JKPCC Vice Presidents Gulam Nabi Monga (Ex.MLC), Mohd Anwar Bhat and PCC General Secretary Irfan Naqashbandi were also in the delegation.
Chief spokesman of the J&K Apni Party, Mohi-ud-Din said, after the party’s delegation met the ECI, that “we are hopeful that both Lok Sabha and assembly elections will be held simultaneously in J&K”.
After meeting representatives of political parties, the 9-member ECI team will review the ground situation with the J&K Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, DGP, RR Swain, deputy commissioners and district police chiefs.
The team will also hold a detailed meeting with the Chief Electoral Officer of the UT PK Pole. The ECI will hold similar discussions in Jammu on Wednesday before returning to New Delhi.
