JAMMU, AUGUST 9: Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Friday said that “now the time has come when you people shall be given your own government through the assembly elections.
“Now the time has come to take forward the dreams you people had shown us by turning up in large numbers and standing in long queues at polling stations during the recent Lok Sabha elections and give you your own elected government through (assembly) elections,” he said.
The Chief Election Commissioner, who was accompanied by Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and SS Sandhu, however, did not give the time line within which the electoral process will be completed.
“The state level review has been completed and the Amarnath yatra is also going to conclude on August 19,” he said, adding that “on our return to Delhi, we will have an assessment of security situation and the availability of forces and the security situation before announcing the elections scheduled”.
Replying to a question about Supreme Court’s September30 deadline for holding assembly polls in the UT, he said “we will this in mind before taking a decision on the matter”. The publication of final electoral rolls will be done in Sugust 20, he added.
Appreciating the large scale public participation in the Lok Sabha polls, he said that the world saw tne long queues at polling stations and appreciated the enthusiasm
Among people. “The ray of hope and light seen in your eyes during the electoral process has filled everybody with joy and hope,” he said, adding that you have done what had not happened during the past many decades.
“You have chosen democracy, peace and harmony,” Chief Election Commissioner said while referring to wide spread public participation especially of women and youth in 2024 Lok Sabha general elections.
He, however, did not give any timeline within which these elections will be held except saying that the “Supreme Court’s September 30 deadline will be kept in kind before arriving as a decision”.
“The challenge before us now is to cross the standards established by you, whether these were in respect to poll percentage or participation by the number of candidates, he added.
“We have to now raise a strong building on the foundation you have laid,” he said.
He said that “no internal or external power, if think can derail the election process, cannot do it,” he said, adding that we are committed to hold elections at the earliest”.
Pointing out that the Election Commission was sure that the people of J&K will give a befitting response to disruptive forces by participating in the elections whenever they are held.
Nine political parties met the Election Commission in Srinagar on Thursday and all of them wanted early holding of the assembly polls in Jammu Kashmir. On Friday, the Commission reviewed the situation and poll preparedness with the UT Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo and Director General of Police R R Swain.
He said that the Commission has instructed the authorities to set up a polling booth within a distance of 2 kms for the ease of electorate, adding that all the polling stations will have CCTV coverage.
When asked about the spurt in terrorist attacks in Jammu region, he said that the security forces and the administration were capable of dealing with the situation. “We will not allow the democratic process to get detailed” in the UT, he added.