New Delhi: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election - pending since 2014 with the former state under Governor's Rule since 2018 - will be held in three phases - on September 18, September 25, and October 1, with results to be announced on October 4, the Election Commission said Friday afternoon.
This marks a big step forward in efforts to meet a Supreme Court order - that democracy return to Jammu and the Kashmir Valley by September 30. In Srinagar last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said an election will be held soon and that statehood would be restored.
In preparation for the election, the EC said, the final voter list would be published by August 20, the day after the Amarnath Yatra ends. Around 87 lakh voters, he said, are expected to vote.
"The people want change... they want to script a new future," Election Commission chief Rajiv Kumar said, as he outlined the poll body's plans to hold a safe and successful election in J&K.
"We recently visited J&K to take stock of election preparation. Great enthusiasm was seen... people want to participate in the process. People want elections as early as possible..." he said, recalling the "long queues" at polling booths in J&K and Ladakh during the Lok Sabha election.
READ | "J&K Lok Sabha Elections Triumph Of Ballot Over Bullet": Poll Body Chief
Those queues, he said, were "proof people not only want change but also want to become part of that change. Glimpse of hope and democracy shows the people want to change the picture... they want to write their own destiny. The people chose ballots over bullets..." he declared.
EC's J&K Visit, Police Reshuffle
An EC team led by Mr Kumar visited J&K for two days earlier this month, during which time they met with representatives from political parties as well as senior police and security officials.
And, hours before today's dates announcement, there had been a large-scale reshuffle of senior police officers, including district chiefs and the head of J&K Police's Intelligence unit.
READ | Big Reshuffle In J&K Police Ahead Of Poll Announcement
The reshuffle, questioned by opposition parties like the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party, also came as several districts in Jammu face increased terror attacks.
That was the third visit by the EC since 2019; the two earlier visits were related to the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Both times the poll panel declined to hold simultaneous elections.
Omar Abdullah Responds
Meanwhile, National Conference leader and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah welcomed the election dates but flagged concerns over the reshuffle of senior police officers in the region.
"After 1987-88 this is probably for the first time an election is happening in phases... it will be a new experience. For National Conference, I can say we have been preparing..." he said this afternoon.
READ | "Probably First Time Since '87/88...": Omar Abdullah On J&K Poll Dates
"The EC emphasised free and fair polls... we wrote to the poll body on police transfers in the past 24 hours. They should take notice. We fear this was done to benefit the centre and the BJP."
BJP Reacts To Poll Dates
Meanwhile, the BJP's J&K in-charge, Tarun Chugh, said, "The announcement of dates is worth welcoming... under leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, J&K had become free of Article 370. People have faith in PM Modi... BJP will fight elections in J&K..."
Supreme Court's Landmark Ruling
In December last year the top court had directed the Election Commission to hold Assembly polls by September 30 of this year. The court was hearing petitions challenging the scrapping of Article 370 and the bifurcation of J&K into the union territories of J&K and Ladakh.
The court upheld the Article 370 decision but said steps should be taken for J&K to have a democratically elected government and for restoration of its statehood at the earliest.
READ | In Historic Jammu And Kashmir Ruling, Supreme Court Sets Election Deadline
A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud also upheld the decision to carve out the union territory of Ladakh in August 2019, weeks before an Assembly election was due.
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