The Election Commission on Tuesday, 4 June, said it will announce the schedule for Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir after the Amarnath Yatra, which begins next month.
In its statement, the agency said, "The Election Commission, under Article 324 of the Constitution and other extant laws/rules etc, have unanimously decided that holding of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir shall be considered later."
The Commission said it will keep monitoring the situation in the state regularly based on inputs from all necessary quarters, and will announce the election schedule after the conclusion of the Amarnath Yatra.
The yatra usually runs from 2 July to 15 August .
J&K’s Political Crisis
The state of Jammu and Kashmir does not have an elected dispensation since the PDP-BJP coalition government fell apart in June 2018.
The state was placed under Governor's Rule on 19 June 2018, after the BJP withdrew from its coalition with the PDP.
As mandated by the Constitution, the state was brought under President's Rule on 19 December 2018. The term of the central rule ends on 19 June which is set to be extended.
In April, when representatives of the Jammu and Kashmir government had met the EC, they had indicated their reluctance of holding polls to the state legislative assembly in the near future in view of the ongoing tourist season and the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra.
The EC, during the meeting, had rejected the assertion of the officials from Jammu and Kashmir that the situation in the state needs to be assessed before conducting the Assembly polls.
The Commission was of the view that if Lok Sabha polls could be held, there should be no issue in holding the elections to the state Assembly.
When the dates for the Lok Sabha polls were announced on 10 March, the poll panel had decided against holding parliamentary and Assembly polls simultaneously in the state, PTI reported.
It had said that the situation in J&K was not conducive for holding Assembly polls. The Lok Sabha polls were held by and large peacefully in the state though the turnout of voters was low.
(With inputs from PTI)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)