The State Government is ready to assist the Election Commission in holding the Assembly poll in Jammu and Kashmir towards the end of November.This was conveyed to the Election Commission by a three-member team comprising S.S Kapoor,Chief Seceratry,Director General Police (DGP) ,Kuldeep Khoda and the Chief Electoral Officer,B.R Sharma, during the meeting they had with the Commission members in Delhi on Wednesday.
Official sources today said that the State team informed the commission that elections were held in the state under more difficult circumstances and situation than the current scenario.During the discussion it was revealed that the two sides agreed that if the elections were not held by November it would encourage separatists for keeping the cauldron of violence sizzling.
Though the commission members will have another round of discussion with Union Home Ministry officials and the state agencies indications are that the election will be held from November end onwards.The polling process is likely to start in the Jammu region first to be followed in the valley.The entire process was to be held in four phases.Sources said that besides the state agencies the Governor,N.N.Vohra,too is in favour of holding the election by November end.
As the reports circulated indicating that elections were not to be postponed for a long time mainstream political parties,except the PDP,have revived their pre-poll campaign.Former Chief Minister,Ghulam Nabi Azad,and other senior congress leaders,including Lal Singh,Madan Lal Sharma,Raman Bhalla,too have started interacting with the voters.The BJP and Panthers Party besides the two factions of the BSP are already busy in holding pre-poll rallies.
The PDP will decide whether it will take part in the elections or not after its demand for postponement of the election has not been conceded by the commission and the centre so far.The decision will be taken at meeting of senior party leaders in Srinagar shortly.Indications are that majority of party leaders favour participation in the election failing which the organisation will lose whatever ground it has gained so far.
In view of the need for deployment of additional companies of security forces for ensuring incident free elections the centre is keen to complete the election process by the end of the year as from the next year it will be busy in other states where the elections are due.If the election process in Jammu and Kashmir was completed before the end of the year it means the state will not be placed under the President’s rule.The state team also conveyed to the commission the need for installation of an elected Government in the state which could deliver the goods more effectively than by a committee of secretaries which is doing the job at present.
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