Announce simultaneous poll dates for Assembly, Parliament in J&K: Omar Abdullah to ECI

Omar Abdullah said the Election Commission of India (ECI) should restore democracy fully in J&K

Former J&K Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah on Friday said the Election Commission of India (ECI) should restore democracy fully in J&K and announce the dates of both Parliament as well as Assembly elections.

“It has been 10 years that J&K has not seen an Assembly election. There have to be elections in J&K and it is a golden opportunity. The ECI should restore democracy fully in J&K. Let it announce the dates of both Parliament as well as assembly elections,” Mr. Abdullah said.

Mr. Abdullah’s statement comes as the ECI is to announce the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections and some State assemblies on Saturday. J&K has seen its last Assembly election in 2014 and remains under the Central rule since 2018, when the ruling alliance between the Peoples Democratic Party and the BJP fell apart.  

Visibly upset by the ECI’s role in J&K, Mr. Abdullah said he has no expectations from it. “The ECI should play its role as part of its mission of maintaining democracy,” he said.

Mr. Abdullah also pitched for one-nation-one-election. “There is a lot of talk about ‘one nation one election’, then start it from J&K. If the ECI is not willing to hold simultaneous polls then they are fooling people of the country,” the former chief minister said.

With differences growing within the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) over seat sharing in Lok Sabha elections, Mr. Abdullah refused to comment on the likely meeting of the grouping. He also showed a cold shoulder for Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’. “I am not joining it,” Mr. Abdullah said.