Centre mulls simultaneous Lok Sabha and J-K polls

The Centre is gearing up to hold the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls along with the general elections slated for April-May, officials familiar with the development said.

The state has been under President’s Rule from mid-December after six months of Governor’s Rule, which was imposed after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) withdrew from the Peoples Democratic Party-led coalition government headed by Mehbooba Mufti in June last year.

“The only question that is left to be decided is whether to hold the J&K assembly polls coinciding with the first phase or the last phase of the Lok Sabha polls. This will depend on the availability of additional security forces, mainly from paramilitaries, for the state and their mobilisation schedule. As of now, the idea is hold it with the first phase of Lok Sabha polls,” said a government official on the condition of anonymity.

The official added that additional forces could move into the state early and, after the completion of the first phase of voting, be sent to other states depending on the poll schedule. “But no final decision has been taken as of now,” said the official.

An Election Commission team is likely to visit the state to review the security situation.

A Srinagar-based security official said there were around 87,000 central security personnel deployed in the state at the moment, and for holding elections, another 10,000 personnel would be required.

“Logistically, holding the polls in the state in the first phase would be better since we would like to have additional forces at least a month ahead of the polls to create a more stable security situation,” said the Srinagar-based security official on the condition of anonymity. But state BJP leadership appeared to prefer assembly polls along with the last phase of the general polls. “A section of leaders have suggested that polls should be held later to allow PM Narendra Modi to spend more time campaigning in the region,” said a party functionary.

The central leadership was informed that if polls were held simultaneously, the problem of low voter turnout in the LS polls would also be addressed.

“There has been a history of low voter turnout for the parliamentary election, but that should not be the only consideration for clubbing polls,” said the functionary.

The BJP, which won 25 seats in the last J&K polls, is trying hard to regain its foothold in the Jammu and Ladakh regions. Its only MP from Ladakh quit in November, citing differences with the leadership over not meeting people’s expectations and granting Union territory status to Ladakh.

In Jammu too, the BJP has faced the people’s anger over the rehabilitation of Rohingya refugees. The locals have been demanding that the refugees be moved out for security reasons.

The party was also accused by its rivals of trying to cobble together a government in the state by supporting Sajjad Lone of the People’s Conference. The BJP has denied the allegations, but the PDP has accused the party of trying to engineer defections.