Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar clarified on Saturday that the Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted after the Lok Sabha polls due to security concerns, as organizing both simultaneously poses logistical challenges.
The Lok Sabha elections are scheduled in seven phases starting from April 19, with results expected on June 4.
JK assembly elections to be held soon after LS polls : CECJK assembly elections to be held soon after LS polls : CEC
Kumar explained that the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act underwent amendments in December 2023 following a delimitation exercise, initiating a countdown for the Election Commission (EC).
He elaborated, "The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act was enacted in 2019 with provisions for 107 seats, including 24 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Subsequently, changes occurred due to the delimitation commission. However, the reorganisation Act and delimitation were not synchronized until December 2023 when the alignment was achieved."
Despite requests from all political parties in Jammu and Kashmir to hold Assembly elections concurrently with parliamentary polls, logistical constraints made it unfeasible, with each Assembly segment potentially hosting 10-12 candidates, requiring significant security arrangements.
However, Kumar reaffirmed the EC's commitment to conducting Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir promptly after the conclusion of the ongoing elections.
