EC objects to L-G’s remark over elections in Kashmir

The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday took exception to Jammu & Kashmir lieutenant governor G C Murmu’s statements on the conduct of elections in the Union Territory, saying issues such as poll timings solely fall within its remit.

“It would be proper for authorities other than Election Commission to refrain from making such statements which are virtually tantamount to interfering with the Constitutional mandate of Election Commission,” the poll watchdog said it a statement. It cited a report in The Tribune on Monday that quoted Murmu saying polls would be held after the ongoing delimitation exercise. The statement referred to Murmu’s similar statements in other newspapers, including HT dated June 26. “Election Commission takes exception to such statements and would like to state that in the Constitutional scheme of things, the timings etc of elections are the sole remit of Election Commission of India.”

Murmu’s office did not respond to HT’s email seeking a comment.

The Centre in March set up a Delimitation Commission to redraw parliamentary and assembly constituencies in Jammu & Kashmir, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Nagaland.

The statement said EC takes into account factors such as topography, weather, sensitivities, and local festivities before deciding the election timing. “For example, in the current times, Covid-19 has introduced a new dynamic, which has to be and shall be taken into consideration at the due time.”

The statement said the outcome of delimitation is also germane to the decision related to polls in Jammu & Kashmir. “Similarly, the availability of central forces and railway coaches, etc. for the transportation of CPFs [central paramilitary forces] are important factors. All this is done after meticulous homework by the senior officials of the Commission and a detailed assessment in due consultation with concerned authorities.”

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) spokesman, Waheed Ur Rehman Para, called EC’s statement a classic example of “Delhi talking to Delhi”. He said EC has mentioned all sorts of festivals but has not taken into account the feelings of the people. “The polls are important, but they are not a priority for the people of Kashmir,” said Para, whose party led the government in the erstwhile state until June 2018.

National Conference spokesman Tanvir Sadiq said the people of Jammu & Kashmir were disenfranchised the moment EC decided not to hold assembly elections after the PDP government fell.

“Of course, it is the EC’s job and not the lieutenant governor’s to decide the right time for elections. That said, has EC really done its job since the governor’s rule was imposed in June 2018?”

He asked why Jammu & Kashmir’s people were “consciously disenfranchised” by not holding the assembly elections with the 2019 Lok Sabha polls or immediately after that. “Who is to be blamed for that? Did they not find the topography, weather, sensitivities for the one year from 2018? Had they done their job in time, we would not have been in the mess that we are in right now.”

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