Jammu and Kashmir Awaits Polls: Delimitation to Precede Elections and Statehood

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha confirmed that Jammu and Kashmir will first undergo delimitation before assembly elections are held, followed by statehood. This aligns with statements by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Election Commission is also preparing for the timely conduct of elections.

As anticipation builds for assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha stated on Sunday that, following Union Home Minister Amit Shah's direction, there will be a sequence of steps: delimitation first, then assembly elections, and finally statehood.

"When PM Narendra Modi visited Srinagar on June 20, he announced that elections would be held soon. A team from the Election Commission has visited and met with all stakeholders. The commission will announce the date for the elections. According to the Union Home Minister's address in Parliament on August 5, we will follow the sequence: delimitation, assembly election, then statehood in due course. I am optimistic that assembly elections will be held soon," Sinha asserted. He also inaugurated the Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centre at the University of Jammu today.

Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar stated on Friday that the Election Commission is committed to holding polls in Jammu and Kashmir as soon as possible. He emphasized that the people of the region will give a robust response to any disruptive forces, noting that all political parties in Jammu and Kashmir are advocating strongly for the assembly elections.

Jammu and Kashmir consists of 90 assembly constituencies: 74 General, nine ST, and seven SC. The region has 87.09 lakh electors, including 44.46 lakh males, 42.62 lakh females, 169 transgender individuals, 82,590 individuals with disabilities, 73,943 very senior citizens, 2,660 centenarians, 76,092 service electors, and 3.71 lakh first-time voters.

Last December, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to complete the election process by September 30, 2024. This will be the first election in the region in ten years, following the 2014 assembly elections. The PDP-BJP coalition government collapsed in June 2018 when BJP withdrew support from then-Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.

(With inputs from agencies.)