SRINAGAR, AUGUST 8: The Election Commission of India (ECI), headed by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, along with Election Commissioners (ECs) Gyanesh Kumar and Dr SS Sandhu commenced a pivotal two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir to oversee poll preparations for Assembly Elections in the Union Territory.
The visit underscores the ECI’s unwavering commitment to facilitating a seamless and transparent electoral process in the region.
Today, the ECI team engaged in extensive deliberations with a spectrum of stakeholders, including representatives from national and state-recognized political parties to solicit valuable insights and understand their concerns, thereby fostering their active involvement in the electoral process.
Later in the day, the ECI reviewed the poll preparedness with District Election Officers and Superintendents of Police (SPs) to deliberate on administrative and security arrangements crucial to the conduct of elections.
Additionally, an evening session was held with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Special Police Nodal Officer (SPNO), and Central Police Forces (CPMF) Nodal Officer to review coordination efforts among various agencies involved in election management.
On August 9, the visit will culminate with a final meeting with the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police.
The ECI team will then travel to Jammu for review with enforcement agencies culminating in a press conference.
Earlier, the Election Commission arrived here to review the preparedness for assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir
The ECI’s visit comes a month ahead of the September 30 deadline put by the Supreme Court for holding elections in the UT.
Jammu and Kashmir has last seen assembly elections in 2014 when PDP-BJP formed the coalition government. However, the government fell apart in June 2018 after which Jammu and Kashmir was put under the president’s rule.
Earlier in March this year, Kumar — who was then the sole member of the three-member Commission to visit the Union Territory — had assured political parties and the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the poll panel would soon hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
At that time, the two posts of Election Commissioners were vacant. They were filled days before the Lok Sabha polls were announced on March 16.
After a record turnout in the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Kumar had said, “This active participation is a huge positive for Assembly elections to be held soon so that the democratic process continues to thrive in the Union Territory.”
Besides meeting the political parties, the Commission will also review the situation with the chief electoral officer and the central forces coordinator.
