Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said the central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had “consciously disenfranchised” the people of the state by not holding the Assembly elections along with Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing a tweet to Modi, Abdullah wrote it was good to see the prime minister appeal to famous people to increase voter turnout in the Lok Sabha elections scheduled from April 11. “However, at the same time your government has consciously disenfranchised people in J&K by not holding Assembly elections on time,” said the National Conference vice president.

Abdullah was referring to Modi’s appeal on Wednesday to several personalities, including Opposition leaders, actors, journalists, athletes and prominent industrialists, to help increase voter turnout in elections.

“The right to choose an elected government, as opposed to being governed by a handpicked nominee of the central government, is the hallmark of the sort of democracy you are tweeting about,” said Abdullah. He appealed to Modi to give the people of Jammu and Kashmir an opportunity to exercise their democratic right and choose their own government.

While the Election Commission on March 10 also announced dates for Assembly elections in four states whose governments’ tenures are coming to an end in the coming three months, it did not give dates for Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, on account of security reasons. The decision was also criticised by Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti, who described it as a sign of the Union government’s “sinister designs”.