NEW DELHI: The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday announced that it would hold assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir only later in the year, thus accepting the request put forward by the home ministry and the state administration to time the state poll only in October-November in view of the Amarnath Yatra , apple harvest season and migration of Bakarwals (nomadic shepherds).

“Election Commission, under Article 324 of the Constitution and other extant laws/rules etc, has unanimously decided that holding of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir shall be considered later in this year. The Commission will keep on regularly ... monitoring the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, taking inputs from all necessary quarters and after the conclusion of Amarnath Yatra will announce the election schedule for the conduct of assembly elections,” the poll panel said in a statement.

As reported by TOI on May 1, the J&K government and home ministry had sought assembly polls in October-November, citing past precedents since 1983 when, barring in 1987, state elections have always been timed between September and December. They also cited the need to deploy forces for Amarnath Yatra 15 days in advance (by June 15), the tourist season, the apple harvest in September-October and current absence of Bakarwals due to their migration to higher reaches during summer.

CEC Sunil Arora had, in a recent interview to TOI, indicated that the EC would be mindful of home ministry and J&K government’s request. “EC is not operating from a hilltop or in the midst of an island. EC works with many people. Dozens of meetings take place between our functionaries and that of the home ministry on the quantum of forces to be deployed phasewise and statewise. And then if the home ministry, which would have quite credible inputs, is giving us in writing their inputs on the ground situation as approved by the home minister and J&K governor, then for EC to say that we will not accept anybody's inputs or feedback, is probably stretching it too far. We cannot be ignorant of the real-time situation which is evolving,” he had said.

Delaying polls until October-November will require extension of the President’s rule in J&K, which was imposed on December 19 and approved by Parliament on January 3.

Incidentally, while the EC is required to hold assembly polls within six months of dissolution of the assembly, this limitation does not apply if the situation is not conducive to holding free and fair poll during this period.



In Video: Elections will be held in J&K later this year: EC