Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections to happen soon: Governor GC Murmu

Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir GC Murmu announced that elections will be held soon in the state. The newly elected Governor of the state said that now that the state is under the Centre's rule and is a legislature, the elections should be held as soon as possible. 

"Election will be happening soon in Jammu and Kashmir. This state is now under the central government and also it is a legislature. And thus elections should take place as soon as possible and your help is needed," The Governor of Jammu and Kashmir said. 

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The state has been under the Governor's rule since June 2018, since the coalition government of the BJP and Mehbooba Mufti led-PDP felt apart. Furthermore, the Union Cabinet Wednesday approved an extension of President's rule in Jammu and Kashmir for six more months beginning July 3, Union minister Prakash Javedkar said. A meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, decided that central rule, which has been continuing in Jammu and Kashmir since June 20, 2018, will remain for six months.

J&K Assembly Constituencies

The proposed Delimitation Commission to redraw assembly constituencies in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will be set up by the central government, and not the Election Commission, the poll panel said on November 1.  Responding to a question at a press conference, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said that under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, the Delimitation Commission is to set up by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

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Arora said the MHA and the Law Ministry can decide among themselves who would issue the notification for the delimitation exercise. "Depending on who heads the Delimitation Commission, an appropriate representative of appropriate seniority will be given by the Election Commission," Arora said.

There have been suggestions that the EC would constitute the delimitation commission. Two retired EC officials -- Shingara Ram and R K Srivastava -- have been engaged to help in the delimitation process. Both have contributed in the past delimitation exercise.

"When they (government) are ready, we are ready," Arora said.

According to section 60 of the Reorganisation Act, "...the number of seats in the Legislative Assembly of Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir shall be increased from 107 to 114...." Out of these 24 seats are in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. "So effectively, the seats will go up from 83 to 90," Arora explained. Delimitation is the process of fixing limits or boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country or a province with a legislative body.

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(With PTI inputs)