Srinagar: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the beginning of preparations for elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday ordered a special summary revision of the state’s voter list. Along with Jammu and Kashmir, the Commission has also ordered special summary revision in three other states – Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand – where elections will be held later this year. Last year, the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to conduct assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30. In a letter sent by the Election Commission to the Chief Electoral Officer of Jammu and Kashmir, it was said that assembly elections will be held in the state later this year.
Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was dissolved in 2018 and it was made a Union Territory. Since then, elections are being awaited there. At present, there is no assembly there. The term of Haryana Assembly is ending on November 11, Maharashtra Assembly on November 26 and Jharkhand Assembly on January 5, 2025. That is, elections will be held in these three states before the said dates. The Election Commission is preparing to conduct elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30 as per the order of the Supreme Court. If the voter list is finalized by August 20, then the way will be cleared to conduct elections by September 30. If a decision is taken to conduct elections along with three other states, then elections can be held in Jammu and Kashmir by October-November.
Former Sadar-e-Riyasat of Jammu and Kashmir and member of the former royal family Karan Singh said that it seems that the central government wants to grant statehood to Jammu and Kashmir after the assembly elections. His suggestion is that if assembly elections have to be held, then it should be done after granting statehood.
After the results of the Lok Sabha elections were released on June 4, some candidates have demanded verification of voting machines (EVMs) at several polling stations. The Election Commission has received such applications from eight candidates. These candidates have requested to investigate whether the micro-controller chips installed in the voting machines have been tampered with or changed. The applicants include candidates from the BJP and the Congress.
