Srinagar, August 8: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has dispatched a high-level team to Srinagar, spearheaded by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, to address the long-awaited assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The team, which includes Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, began their two-day visit today.
During their stay, the ECI team will engage in discussions with representatives from six major political parties: National Conference, PDP, Congress, BJP, CPI(M), and Panthers Party. These consultations, set to begin at 11 am, aim to gather feedback and recommendations for the upcoming assembly elections.
In the afternoon, the team will convene with Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) from all 20 districts of the Union Territory. They will also hold a meeting with Chief Electoral Officer P.K. Pole and other election officials later in the day.
On Friday, August 9, the ECI delegation will meet with Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Secretary Atal Dullo and Director General of Police before traveling to Jammu. There, they will confer with security agencies and hold a press conference to review the discussions and next steps.
This visit is particularly significant as it precedes the Supreme Court’s September 30 deadline for conducting elections in the Union Territory. With the last assembly elections held in 2014 and President’s rule in effect since June 2018, political parties are increasingly calling for the restoration of statehood and the prompt scheduling of elections.
