’Better late than never’: How J-K political parties reacted to assembly poll schedule announcement by EC

Political parties across Jammu and Kashmir on Friday welcomed the Election Commission's announcement of assembly elections that will begin on September 18 marking the end of six years of central rule.

The assembly polls for 90 seats of Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases – September 18, 25 and October 1, Election Commission said on August 16. The results will be announced on October 4.

National Conference president and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah expressed gratitude to the poll for expediting the poll process. “Today, I thank God that they are deciding it. Earlier, people were saying that they would decide between the 20th and 25th. I am happy that they have preponed it,” Abdullah said.

Jammu and Kashmir has been under Central rule since June 19, 2018, following the collapse of a coalition government headed by the People’s Democratic Party’s Mehbooba Mufti after the pullout of its alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP).

After the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh – in August 2019 and the abrogation of Article 370, the Assembly polls could not be held due to various reasons, including a delimitation exercise completed in 2022.

In December last year, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to conclude the election process by September 30, 2024

"This has been an unusually long gap. The last elections were held in 2014 and now, after a decade, we are holding an election," Abdullah was quoted by news ageny PTI. He also recalled his party's earlier push for holding simultaneous elections with the parliamentary polls, which was not granted.

"Now, people will come out in large numbers to participate in the elections," he said.

Other political parties, including the Congress, the BJP, the CPI(M) and the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), welcomed the EC's announcement that they believe upholds the Supreme Court's directive mandating elections by September 30.

Omar Abdullah, former chief minister of the erstwhile state, remarked on the long wait for the announcement, saying, ‘It is better late than never.’

Abdullah said election cycle might be the first since the 1987-88 elections to be conducted within such a condensed time frame. "It obviously will be a new experiment for the political parties. But as far as our party is concerned, the National Conference was prepared for this day and would soon start the electioneering," he added.

Omar also called on the EC to address the significant transfers within the police and the civil administration in the past 24 hours, voicing concern over potential biases that could favour the BJP, which governs at the Centre.

Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari welcomed the announcement quoting an Urdu couplet. "Badi dair kardi mehrban aate aate (you took a long time to come, kind one)", Bukhari said adding “we will have a people's government Inshallah (God willing) by October 5.”

All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary GA Mir expressed appreciation for the EC's decision, noting that it reflected the public's aspirations for a popular government.

Iltija Mufti, PDP leader and the daughter of former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, also welcomed the EC's announcement. "The PDP welcomes the poll announcement," Iltija said.

Welcoming the EC's announcement, senior CPI(M) leader MY Tarigami acknowledged the importance of a democratic process that ensured fairness and security for all participants.

Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina expressed gratitude to the EC and emphasised his party's preparation for the elections, calling on citizens to actively participate. "We were eagerly waiting for this announcement since the Lok Sabha elections and the BJP is fully prepared," he said.

(With PTI inputs)