Election Commission of India to Visit Jammu and Kashmir
The Election Commission of India (ECI) will be visiting Jammu and Kashmir next week to assess the readiness for upcoming elections. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and SS Sandhu, will be in the Union Territory from August 8 to 10.
During their visit, the commission plans to engage with local administrative officials and representatives from various political parties in the regions of Srinagar and Jammu. A key event is scheduled for August 10, when the commission will hold a review meeting with enforcement agencies in Jammu, followed by a press conference to inform the media about their findings.
This visit comes after CEC Rajiv Kumar's assurance to political leaders and residents of Jammu and Kashmir in March 2024, where he confirmed the commission's commitment to conducting assembly elections in the UT. This assurance followed a prior visit by the commission, which was part of a three-member team assessing the situation ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections.
The recent Lok Sabha Elections in 2024 witnessed a record turnout, demonstrating significant engagement from the populace of Jammu and Kashmir. CEC Kumar noted, "This active participation is a huge positive for the upcoming Assembly elections, ensuring that the democratic process continues to thrive in the Union Territory."
Next week's visit marks a significant milestone, as Jammu and Kashmir will complete five years as a Union Territory. The region was bifurcated into two Union Territories in 2019, coinciding with the abrogation of its special status under Article 370. Since then, governance has been under the authority of the Lieutenant Governor.