J-K Assembly polls should have taken place 6 years ago; Govt not doing favour to people, says PDP’s Iltija Mufti

People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti on Friday welcomed the announcement of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election, but said the polls should have taken place six years ago.

"The PDP welcomes the poll announcement," Mufti said, hours after Election Commission announced schedule for assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir on August 16.

Iltija Mufti, daughter of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, however, said the party has a few concerns. "The state had semi-autonomous status, we had our own constitution, own flag and residuary powers. But in the last five years, not only the fundamental rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, but democracy has been suspended," Iltija was quoted by news agency PTI as saying.

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.

The election should have taken place six years ago, she said and wondered what took the Election Commission (EC) six years to announce the polls.

The last assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir were held in November 2014. The ertswhile state has been under Central rule since June 19, 2018, following the collapse of a coalition government headed by the Mehbooba Muftiafter the pullout of PDP's alliance partnerBharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Iltija said government has not done any favour to the people of Jammu and Kashmir by announcing the polls. "The people of Jammu and Kashmir have been suffering because of babudom. Officers have been brought from outside and they act as viceroys. They have no political accountability. We are happy now that the issues of people will get redressal and there will be accountability by way of an elected government," Iiltija said adding that the government has not done any favour to the people of Jammu and Kashmir by announcing the polls.

"Elections are an integral part of any robust democracy. So you have not done us any favour. It is a fundamental right in a democracy to choose a government," she said.

(With PTI inputs)