In the wake of the devastating floods that swamped Jammu and Kashmir last month, the Election Commission has yet to decide when exactly it will hold polls for the state assembly, whose term ends in January. But despite the destruction, it seems likely that elections will be held as expected in the last week of November.
The Election Commission said on Saturday that the relief and rehabilitation work would not be affected if elections were held. After holding discussions with political parties, security agencies and the administration in the state, the commission decided to have more consultations in Delhi before making a final decision on poll dates.
“The political parties had given very clear views about what their standing is vis-a-vis elections,” said the Chief Election commissioner VS Sampath. “Quite a few were saying elections should be held on time and some of them said it will affect relief and rehabilitation work that is more important.”
Surveying the damage
The commission aimed to obtain a picture of the number of people affected in the flood and how much infrastructure had been damaged through the state ‒ especially polling stations. “We wanted to have a clear idea about status of relief and infrastructure in the state for holding elections,” Sampath told the reporters. “We will be getting back to Delhi and make some more consultations before we give the final time of the elections.”
The central government wants elections to be held before the assembly’s term runs out so that it can avoid governor’s rule being imposed in the volatile state.
Most of the political parties in the state are in favour of holding elections on time. The only difference of opinion comes from the ruling National Conference, which received a drubbing in the recent Lok Sabha elections. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that the situation was not conducive for polling. He has warned that there would be zero percentage voting in capital city Srinagar, where floods have wreaked havoc in some of the most populated areas.
But many observers believe that Abdullah government is using the floods as an excuse to avoid seeking a fresh mandate because it knows it will face the anger of the state’s people for completely failing to provide relief during the disaster. Abdullah accepted that the state had no government for 36 hours after Srinagar submerged.
On the backfoot
After meeting Union home minister Rajnath Singh earlier in the week, Abdullah told reporters, “I am not the one who is pushing for elections. We believe that at this point of time people are struggling to rebuild their life. We leave it to the Election Commission to decide.”
In Kashmir valley, floods affected at least 25 of 46 assembly constituencies. The state has 87 constituencies –37 in Jammu and four in Ladakh.
In the last few months, two strong rivals to the National Conference have made their presence felt: the People’s Democratic Party and Bhartiya Janata Party shared the state’s three Lok Sabha seats between them.
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The Election Commission said on Saturday that the relief and rehabilitation work would not be affected if elections were held. After holding discussions with political parties, security agencies and the administration in the state, the commission decided to have more consultations in Delhi before making a final decision on poll dates.
“The political parties had given very clear views about what their standing is vis-a-vis elections,” said the Chief Election commissioner VS Sampath. “Quite a few were saying elections should be held on time and some of them said it will affect relief and rehabilitation work that is more important.”
Surveying the damage
The commission aimed to obtain a picture of the number of people affected in the flood and how much infrastructure had been damaged through the state ‒ especially polling stations. “We wanted to have a clear idea about status of relief and infrastructure in the state for holding elections,” Sampath told the reporters. “We will be getting back to Delhi and make some more consultations before we give the final time of the elections.”
The central government wants elections to be held before the assembly’s term runs out so that it can avoid governor’s rule being imposed in the volatile state.
Most of the political parties in the state are in favour of holding elections on time. The only difference of opinion comes from the ruling National Conference, which received a drubbing in the recent Lok Sabha elections. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that the situation was not conducive for polling. He has warned that there would be zero percentage voting in capital city Srinagar, where floods have wreaked havoc in some of the most populated areas.
But many observers believe that Abdullah government is using the floods as an excuse to avoid seeking a fresh mandate because it knows it will face the anger of the state’s people for completely failing to provide relief during the disaster. Abdullah accepted that the state had no government for 36 hours after Srinagar submerged.
On the backfoot
After meeting Union home minister Rajnath Singh earlier in the week, Abdullah told reporters, “I am not the one who is pushing for elections. We believe that at this point of time people are struggling to rebuild their life. We leave it to the Election Commission to decide.”
In Kashmir valley, floods affected at least 25 of 46 assembly constituencies. The state has 87 constituencies –37 in Jammu and four in Ladakh.
In the last few months, two strong rivals to the National Conference have made their presence felt: the People’s Democratic Party and Bhartiya Janata Party shared the state’s three Lok Sabha seats between them.
