Security Concerns Won't Delay Elections In J&K: ECI

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Srinagar- Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Friday said the Election Commission is committed to conducting polls in Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest and will not allow any internal or external forces to derail the electoral process.

An EC delegation led by Kumar visited Jammu and Kashmir to review the preparedness for the conduct of the polls and hold discussions with Political parties. Talking to reporters, he said all parties have strongly advocated for holding assembly elections soon.

“Time has come to give the people of J&K
its own government through elections.
We are committed to conducting elections at the earliest in Jammu and Kashmir. We are confident that the people will respond robustly to disruptive forces and we will witness increased voter participation whenever elections are held,” Kumar said following the conclusion of the two-day visit.

Flanked by Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and S S Sandhu, the CEC said that the EC has completed its state-level review while emphasising that the time is right for holding assembly elections in the region.

“We are ready to build on the successes of the previous parliamentary elections. We will first review the availability of security forces in New Delhi. The Supreme Court's deadline of September 30 will be kept in mind. We will inform you accordingly,” Kumar said when asked about the timeline for assembly elections.

Kumar said the timing of elections in any state depends on the expiry of the assembly's term.

“Elections in four to five states are scheduled for this year, each with separate timelines, and we are prepared for that,” he said.

With the Amarnath Yatra concluding on August 19, he said the security situation and force requirements would be assessed in Delhi.

During their visit, the CEC-led team met representatives from nine political parties - the BJP, Congress, AAP, BSP, CPIM, National Conference, People's Democratic Party, J&K National Panthers Party (Bhim), and J&K Panthers Party (India) - in Srinagar to gather their viewpoints.

“These are recognised parties in the state. All parties unanimously praised the people and the Election Commission for conducting peaceful and historic parliamentary elections in J-K.

“They acknowledged that the high voter participation was a historic achievement, with no untoward incidents. Public faith in the electoral process has increased,” Kumar said.

Kumar noted that all parties agreed that elections should be held as early as possible and also called for a level playing field in the elections.

“They emphasised the need for elected representatives to connect better with the people, ensuring the progress of democracy in the region. They believe that the people should form their own government, and elections should be held soon,” he said.

Regarding the recent spurt in terror attacks and violence, especially in the Jammu region,

“Given the overwhelming response during the parliamentary elections, there is a need to build on that momentum. State government officials have also said that they are ready to hold elections, and no concerns about any inconvenience were raised,” he said.

Referring to the recent terror attacks, Kumar acknowledged that security situations pose their own challenges.

“There have been some minor changes in the security situation since the parliamentary elections, but these cannot and will not disrupt the elections. The administration is fully competent to handle such challenges,” he said.

Kumar said such“nefarious acts” are often engineered in response to successful elections.

“We remain confident in our resolve. No design, however disruptive, will be allowed to succeed,” he asserted.

Kumar also assured that the enthusiasm and high voter turnout seen in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections would not be diminished by such minor challenges.

“We are fully committed to ensuring that nothing disrupts the election process. Such situations will not arise, and we will not allow any forces to succeed by delaying the polls,” he said.

“The forces and administration are more than capable of dealing with any such situation. The flag of democracy will continue to fly high,” he added.

He said a“positive challenge” was the anticipated increase in participation from both candidates and voters.

“The challenge lies in making this a reality on the ground,” he said.

Kumar stressed that all officials have been directed to be proactive in making the necessary arrangements at polling stations and on the ground.

“There was significant enthusiasm among young voters, and we aim to build on this momentum by providing an appropriate atmosphere, which is also a challenge we are ready to meet,” he said.

The CEC outlined various directives regarding security, voter facilities, and providing the best possible environment for the elections.

Poll Panel Chief's
Chicken & Egg Analogy

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has said that no internal or external force can stop the Election Commission from conducting Assembly polls in the Union Territory.

Kumar said,“The foundation laid by you (the people and the administration) is now awaiting the construction of a strong building. We have to achieve new heights and the time for that has come. If any internal or external force thinks that they can interfere and derail the Assembly elections, they are wrong. We are sure that the people of Jammu and Kashmir will give a befitting response to disruptive forces.”
To a question on how the elections were being planned given that the Union Territory has seen an uptick in terror attacks and encounters in which many security personnel have also been killed, the Chief Election Commissioner used the chicken-and-egg analogy.“We are working with full commitment and resolve that nothing will be allowed to disrupt the elections. If we don't, it will become a chicken-and-egg situation. Whenever we will talk about elections, such activities will increase and we will be forced to step back. That will be like conceding defeat without even fighting. That won't happen,” Kumar asserted.
“These things will not have an impact on the elections at all. Our forces and the administration are capable enough to deal with any situation that arises. The flag of 'Jamhuriyat' (democracy) has been raised and will be raised further,” he added.

'Historic Achievement'
On the Commission's meetings with political parties in Jammu and Kashmir since it arrived in the Union Territory on Thursday, Kumar said they had spoken to national and recognised parties, all of whom had praised the people and the Election Commission for the way the Lok Sabha elections had been conducted there.
The state had seen a voter turnout of 58.46%, which was the highest in 35 years, and Kumar said all the parties had called that a“historic achievement”.
“The parties said it had good participation and no violent incidents took place, which boosted people's confidence. All the parties demanded that the Assembly polls be held at the earliest so that there are elected representatives in Jammu and Kashmir who have a better connect with local residents,” Kumar said.
Jammu and Kashmir has been without an elected government for over six years and the last Assembly elections were held there in December 2014. The Supreme Court has set a deadline of September 30 for the Election Commission to hold Assembly polls in the erstwhile state, whose special status under Article 370 was removed and it was bifurcated into two Union Territories on August 5, 2019.

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