Srinagar, Mar 11: Supreme Court lawyer and Chairman Kashmir Policy and Strategy Group Ashok Bhan on Monday welcomed the Election Commission of India’s visit to Jammu & Kashmir, saying the people have been longing and eagerly awaiting the poll body to declare the commencement of “simultaneous polls”.
In a statement, Bhan said, “The people say that the prolonged Governor’s rule is continuously depriving them of their legitimate fundamental right to vote and elect the representative government of their own. The right to democracy through elections is one of the basic inalienable rights of the citizens eligible to vote.”
He said the Supreme Court has held that democracy is one of the inalienable basic features of the Constitution of India and forms part of its basic structure. “The concept of democracy as visualised by the Constitution pre-supposes the representation of the people in Parliament and State legislatures by the method of election. As such the Governor’s rule is an exception and the elected representatives’ government is the rule,” he said.
The SC lawyer said it has been more than five years that the people of J&K have been deprived of their elected representation since the assembly was dissolved. “As such, there is all the necessity for ECI to seriously consider and decide the elections to the legislature along with the ensuing Parliamentary elections,” he said, adding that ECI is expected to study the ground situation and appreciate that the Kashmir affairs have a layered nature, obscured by distorted historical narratives, self-serving myths, and conflicting political interests.”
Yet, amidst these complexities, Advocate Bhan said, the current ECI needs to demonstrate a sincere commitment to fostering an environment conducive to peace and progress, to break the cycle of violence perpetuated by adversaries, to restore “legitimate democracy” in Kashmir.
The Kashmir Policy and Strategy Group chairman said such a move aligns with the constitutional ethos of the nation and could pave the way for synchronised national and state elections. (KNS)
