Election Commission Starts Process to Conduct Polls in Jammu and Kashmir

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India has initiated the process to conduct assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

In a notification issued on June 7, the ECI said that it has decided to accept applications seeking allotment of a common symbol under Para 10B of Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 for the general election to the legislative assembly of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir with immediate effect.

A few days back, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir would soon have their democratically-elected government in the union territory.

The assembly elections in the union territory were last held in 2014, when it was a state. A coalition government of PDP and BJP headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was formed in the state. After Sayeed’s death in 2016, his daughter Mehbooba Mufti became the CM. In June 2019, this government collapsed as the BJP withdrew support from the coalition government. Governor’s rule was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir, which was followed by President’s Rule.

On August 5, 2019, with the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, Jammu and Kashmir became a union territory. Since then, Jammu and Kashmir is headed by a lieutenant governor.