The Special Election Observer team appointed by Election Commission of India (ECI) to assess the feasibility of conducting Assembly elections in militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir has submitted their report and suggested holing of the polls in June, September of November.
Top sources in administration told Rising Kashmir that three observers have suggested holding Assembly elections from end of May to June before the beginning of annual Amarnath yatra or in September, when the yatra concludes, or in November-December.
The ECI had last month appointed Noor Mohammad (retired IAS officer), Vinod Zutshi (retired Deputy Election Commissioner) and A S Gill (retired IPS officer) as special observers to assess the situation in the State for conducting of Assembly polls and submit a report to the Commission.
The three observers had visited the State for five days and held meetings with representatives of political parties, government officials and other stakeholders.
Sources said the ball now rests with the ECI.
A senior officer wishing anonymity said the observers have given three options on recommendations of security agencies in the state.
“On their visit, the team met top security officials. Now the ECI in consultation with the Union Home Ministry will take a final call on holding of State Assembly polls,” he said.
Sources said the three observers in their report have stated that most of political parties in the State are “comfortable” with elections being held in September after the conclusion of Amarnath yatra.
Sources said the report states that if Assembly poll is conducted in June and completed before the commence of Amarnath yatra in July, then the ECI would have very less time to prepare for it as counting of votes for Lok Sabha would be held on May 23.
The parliamentary election process would be completed on May 27.
“The security deployment will be available for polls in June as 450 companies of paramilitary forces have already been deployed for ongoing parliament elections in the Valley,” sources said.
They said the report, however, reveals that the State government has reservation in hoding the Assembly polls soon after the parliament polls because the state needs time to gear up for the Amarnath yatra.
The report has suggested that if the elections are to be conducted in June then the ECI would have to keep a difference of just two to three days between various phases of elections in the State.
As per sources, the report has also touched upon the less fact that Eid-ul-Fitr is scheduled for June 5, which just leaves 10-15 days before the forces would be deployed for Amarnath yatra.
On the second option, the report has suggested that both the State government and political parties are willing for holding of Assembly polls after September 15.
The Amarnath yatra ends on August 15 and the monsoon rains in the Jammu belt would also over by that date, the report has suggested.
The observers have given third option of holding Assembly polls in November-December.
Sources said the observers have put up this suggestion on the premise that Gujjars and Bakerwals return to the plains by October end and would thus participate in the elections, leading to higher voter turnout.
They said the State government and the security agencies have opined that September option is the most feasible for conducting the polls as the paramilitary forces deployed for Amarnath yatra would already be present in the State and the government would have no other important exercise at hand.
As per rules, the assembly polls in the State need to be conducted before May 21, 2019, as Assembly was dissolved on November 21, 2018, ushering in the phase of present President’s rule.
After the fall of PDP-BJP government on June 19 last year, the State witnessed a phase of Governor’s rule, which ended on November 20 last year.
The rules mandate the parliament to extend the President’s rule in the State for six months if a new government is not elected in the State till June 20, 2019.
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