Assembly Elections in J & K

It is official now that the much awaited Assembly Elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir in three phases on September 18, September 25 and October 1.The counting of votes will take place on October 4. This was announced by the Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Friday.It is pertinent to mention that the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised by bifurcating it into two union territories-Jammu and Kashmir,Ladakh after the neutralisation of the Article 370 and 35A.The last election for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was held in 2014 on 87 seats.Now the situation is different. This election is being held after the delimitation that has changed the permutation and commutation of the seats in the newly created union territory.The recently held Lok Sabha Elections have indeed proved to be the pilot study on the people’s perception about the mainstream political parties active in Jammu and Kashmir.It has revealed the political faultlines prevalent in present situation on the ground.The massive voter turnout in both Jammu and Kashmir during the Lok Sabha polls has sent a positive message to the political parties.This enabled them to gear up for the Assembly Elections.Earlier there were alternative opinions both in the media and the social circles that the rise of terrorist activities in the union territory will cast shadow on the Assembly polls.What gave credence to this perception is the exponential rise of terror attacks in Jammu region.There is no doubt that the patrons of terror across the border in Pakistan have shifted the theatre of war to Jammu region to give an impression in the international forums that Jammu and Kashmir is engulfed in the ethno-religious conflict.But the policy makers have taken the decision to send a strong message that keeping in view the success of the electoral turn out in the Lok Sabha Jammu and Kashmir will surely defeat the nefarious designs of the terror modules that fan separatism and social unrest.One thing has to be kept in mind that this Assembly Election has been much awaited by both the Kashmir based mainstream parties and the ruling BJP besides the other political formations that want to enter the Legislative Assembly and address the public issues at the local level.There has been a constant demand from all political formations to restore the democracy in Jammu and Kashmir.So that people are able to send their elected representatives to the Legislature and shape the destiny of their people.This time there will be many surprises.The reason being that the political experimentation to form different permutations and combinations is visible on the ground.The lifting of ban on the Jamt-i-Islami Kashmir is one of the political developments that has to be watched closely.Ban was imposed on this organisation for fostering radicalisation and was held responsible for deviating the people from the national mainstream.But lifting of the ban has sent a different signal.It means that a space is being provided to the dissenting voices to show their strength among the people and be the actors for peace and change.This development can be viewed from another angle that ground is being created for the political alternatives that can take place of the traditional parties like National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party.We also witnessed the presence of the Apni Party in the Lok Sabha Elections.Another important development was the absence of the BJP candidates in Kashmir.As BJP did not field any candidates from Kashmir in the Lok Sabha but tested the strength of its candidates in Jammu.This move must be analysed in a broader context.Maybe the BJP might have decided to keep its doors open for the Assembly Elections and decide later what it can offer.No doubt this election will have deep rooted impact on the future of Jammu and Kashmir.As this poll process is being held after the political reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir.There are many issues that need redressal as people are eagerly waiting for a long time now to shape their political destiny.The internal displacements that have altered the traditional constituencies will also get underlined in this process.There has been a electoral faultline that needs attention.It is the question of the internally displaced Kashmiri Pandits who are scattered all over India and also in different parts of the globe after their expulsion from Kashmir in 1990.These challenges have to be addressed .So that Jammu and Kashmir emerges as a model union territory.This Assembly Election has a special significance after the abrogation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Fingers must be kept crossed to witness the outcome.