The government’s submission today in the Supreme Court appears to indicate that the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections could take place next year, perhaps coinciding with the April-May Lok Sabha polls.
The government told the Supreme Court that it was ready for the elections in J&K “any time”, but added a caveat that the legislative elections will happen after the Panchayat and Municipality elections in J&K. The conclusion of the latter two elections is expected to take a few more months. This could push the J&K election schedule to 2024.
The government also told the SC that the election that will be held first — out of the panchayat, municipal and legislative — will be decided by the EC.
The government, however, made it clear that it is the Election Commission of India, which will take the final call on the elections in J&K. The Centre also said that the updation of voters’ lists in J&K is nearing completion and only a little part of the same is left. However, it cited the three-tier Panchayat Raj System that was introduced after 2019 in J&K post abrogation of Article 370, and said the three elections were due — namely the Panchayat, Municipality and legislative elections.
The EC could next month announce elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Mizoram and Telangana. The next election window in the past has been the five-yearly general elections. Weather conditions and security deployment availability is another major factor to consider regarding the J&K elections.
Though government did not give any timeline to the SC on restoring statehood in J&K, a view in the government has been that the statehood would be taken up after the legislative elections.
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