Final decision to be announced from New Delhi, parties pitch for simultaneous elections
The Election Commission of India who were on two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir Tuesday that conducting elections in the state is challenging. On concluding their visit to the state, the ECI team headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora said while addressing a presser in Jammu said the final decision on holding polls in Jammu and Kashmir will be taken in Delhi.
“Representatives of all the parties have demanded that both parliamentary and Assembly polls be held together citing successful Panchayat elections in the state,” they said as per KNO Correspondent. “Regarding security concerns, the Commission is indeed mindful of the specific challenging law and order situation in the State of J&K and especially in certain Assembly segments given their location and concerns,” Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said.
Arora as per KNO correspondent also said that Commission will look into due security arrangements while deciding on the timing and phasing of the elections and they will also keep in view the desire for restoring democratically elected government in the State.
“The Commission is aware that Elections have been conducted in the past under trying circumstances in the State. J&K elections do attract global and national attention more than any other State.” Arora said. Arora was accompanied by Election Commissioners Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra alongwith the team of officers from Election Commission of India.
“We have received the feedback and will take all these into consideration. The final decision of holding polls, and how will be announced through a presser from New Delhi,” he said.
According to Arora representatives from all Political Parties emphasized that due security arrangements be made to provide adequate security to voters and candidates so as to instill confidence in them for conducive environment for forthcoming elections.
The Commission is committed to deliver free, fair, peaceful, transparent, ethical and inclusive elections, they said, adding the Commission attaches prime importance to ensuring conducive environment for conducting elections in the State keeping in view the specific concerns of the State.
“As regards the specific concern pointed out for M Forms for Migrant Voters, it was explained to the Party representatives also that to facilitate registration,voting and other issues/grievances, at present there are three AERO-Migrants (Assistant Electoral Registration Officers) who also perform duties of AROs as well as BLOs (Booth Level Officers) appointed specially to register the Kashmiri migrants.
Special camps were conducted at the migrant camps during SSR 2019 which resulted in addition of 4988 Kashmiri migrant voters during last one year. Two more Special Camps are being organised on 6th and 7thMarch, 2019 for migrant voters in all 26 special polling stations,” he said.
Similarly to facilitate Voting, Three Assistant Returning Officers (Migrants) are appointed, one each for Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi. 26 Special Polling Stations are setup for voting by migrants at Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi. Dedicated EPIC printing facility has been provided in the office of Relief Commissioner J&K.
Due publicity for these special arrangements shall be scaled up for benefit of all concerned. After Special summary revision 2019 following status of electoral roll has emerged: Total No. of Electors: 78,50,671,Male Electors: 40,37,993., Female Electors: 37,39,951, Service Voters: 72,727, Total marked Electors: 916.
