The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday said that it would announce schedule for J&K Assembly polls after culmination of Amarnath Yatra in August.
“The Commission will keep on regularly, and on real-timebasis monitoring the situation in J&K, taking inputs from all necessaryquarters and after the conclusion of Amarnath Yatra, will announce the schedulefor the conduct of Assembly election in the state,” reads a statement issued bythe poll-body this evening.
The Amarnath Yatra that begins on 2 July will conclude on 15August.
The ECI decision came after it consulted legal experts andMinistry of Home Affairs over holding of the polls in J&K, where Assemblywas dissolved on 21 November 2018 after Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) andPeoples Conference (PC) separately staked claims for forming the government.
The poll-body also said that it has unanimously decided thatholding of Assembly elections in J&K shall be considered later this year.
In its meeting with the poll-body in April this year, thestate government had favored holding of the election towards end of this year,citing holy month of Ramadan, Amarnath yatra, tourist season, ongoing academiccalendar and movement of Bakerwals.
Almost all political parties in the state had favouredconduct of state elections simultaneously with Parliamentary polls, which wereheld in April-May this year.
The State is under President’s rule since 20 December 2018after six-month long Governor’s rule came to an end. On 20 June last year, the Statecame under Governor’s rule after 25-member BJP withdrew support to MehboobaMufti-led government.
The Centre would now need to extend President’s rule for sixmore months in the State. The ongoing spell of President’s rule would end onJune 19.
An official said the Parliament would now be required toratify extension of President’s rule before 20 August, 2019. “It would requireapproval of both houses,” he said.
Sources revealed the elections could take place inSeptember-October this year, along with Assembly Elections in Maharashtra,Jharkhand, and Haryana.