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Election Commission gives go-ahead to J&K elections, voting to be in five phases
New Delhi : The Election Commission on Saturday announced five-phase polls in Jammu & Kashmir and Jharkhand, which will take place between November 23 and December 20. The counting of votes will take place on December 23.
While the ruling National Conference had expressed reservations over holding of elections in flood-ravaged J&K at this time, the EC decided to go ahead after consultations with all political parties and the authorities concerned.
Said Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath, “Except for one political party, most of the political parties (in Jammu and Kashmir) are in favour of holding elections on time. They said there is no reason, no justification for delaying the polls. The EC’s mandate is to hold elections on time.”
While he did not take any names, the NC has publicly called for postponing the elections.
Soon after the EC announcement, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted his displeasure. “While the NC was keen to rehabilitate the flood-affected people before anyone else’s political rehabilitation the EC felt differently,” he wrote.
“Now with election dates announced, there is no question of not contesting the forthcoming polls… We will put our best foot forward,” he tweeted.
Polling in both J&K (87 seats) and Jharkhand (81 seats) will take place over November 25, December 2, 9, 14 and 20. With the announcement of elections, the model code of conduct comes into effect immediately. While last time J&K had seen seven-phase polls, Naxal-hit Jharkhand had then too seen elections over five phases.
The six-year term of the current Jammu and Kashmir Assembly ends on January 19. The term of the Jharkhand House also gets over in January.
Asked whether this was the right decision to hold polls in J&K given the devastation caused by the floods, Sampath said the calamity would have no “special impact” on the elections.
The post-flood situation, along with other aspects like climate, festivals and the law and order situation, had been taken into account while deciding the poll schedule, Sampath said.
EC officials added that the model code of conduct will not come in the way of relief and rehabilitation work in J&K, since the state government will be following norms of compensation prescribed by government rules.
The commission also said they have “contingency plans” to hold polls along the Line of Control and International Boundary, in case of continued ceasefire violations by Pakistan. These include setting up polling stations 2 km deep into Indian side.
Voters in the state will not need identity documents to vote if their names and photographs are on the electoral rolls. “Moreover, we will also issue voters’ slips,” an official said.
The NC said the need of the hour was “to focus on relief and rehabilitation” than elections. He admitted the NC was in the minority on this, but added that it was because it put peoples’ welfare over politics.
- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/politics/election-commission-announces-poll-schedule-for-jk-jharkhand/#sthash.5ufBWQ8F.dpuf
While the ruling National Conference had expressed reservations over holding of elections in flood-ravaged J&K at this time, the EC decided to go ahead after consultations with all political parties and the authorities concerned.
Said Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath, “Except for one political party, most of the political parties (in Jammu and Kashmir) are in favour of holding elections on time. They said there is no reason, no justification for delaying the polls. The EC’s mandate is to hold elections on time.”
While he did not take any names, the NC has publicly called for postponing the elections.
Soon after the EC announcement, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted his displeasure. “While the NC was keen to rehabilitate the flood-affected people before anyone else’s political rehabilitation the EC felt differently,” he wrote.
“Now with election dates announced, there is no question of not contesting the forthcoming polls… We will put our best foot forward,” he tweeted.
Polling in both J&K (87 seats) and Jharkhand (81 seats) will take place over November 25, December 2, 9, 14 and 20. With the announcement of elections, the model code of conduct comes into effect immediately. While last time J&K had seen seven-phase polls, Naxal-hit Jharkhand had then too seen elections over five phases.
The six-year term of the current Jammu and Kashmir Assembly ends on January 19. The term of the Jharkhand House also gets over in January.
Asked whether this was the right decision to hold polls in J&K given the devastation caused by the floods, Sampath said the calamity would have no “special impact” on the elections.
The post-flood situation, along with other aspects like climate, festivals and the law and order situation, had been taken into account while deciding the poll schedule, Sampath said.
EC officials added that the model code of conduct will not come in the way of relief and rehabilitation work in J&K, since the state government will be following norms of compensation prescribed by government rules.
The commission also said they have “contingency plans” to hold polls along the Line of Control and International Boundary, in case of continued ceasefire violations by Pakistan. These include setting up polling stations 2 km deep into Indian side.
Voters in the state will not need identity documents to vote if their names and photographs are on the electoral rolls. “Moreover, we will also issue voters’ slips,” an official said.
The NC said the need of the hour was “to focus on relief and rehabilitation” than elections. He admitted the NC was in the minority on this, but added that it was because it put peoples’ welfare over politics.
- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/politics/election-commission-announces-poll-schedule-for-jk-jharkhand/#sthash.5ufBWQ8F.dpuf
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