J&K Lt Governor Manoj Kumar Sinha to Follow Delimitation First, Then Assembly Polls, Then Statehood

The Jammu and Kashmir LG announced that the assembly election process is in progress, following the sequence of delimitation, assembly election, and eventually granting statehood. This came after PM Narendra Modi’s announcement during his visit to Srinagar on June 20.

The Election Commission is set to announce the election date soon, with Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar affirming the commitment to conducting polls in the region at the earliest. There are a total of 90 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir – 74 General, nine ST, and seven SC, with 87.09 lakh total electors.

The region’s first-time voters number around 3.71 lakh. The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to conclude the election process by September 30, 2024.

The upcoming elections will mark the first in a decade, as the last assembly election took place in 2014, post which the PDP-BJP coalition government dissolved in 2018. In addition to this, the LG inaugurated the Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centre at the University of Jammu.

Notably, all parties in Jammu and Kashmir are in favor of conducting assembly elections, and the Election Commission is working to ensure a smooth electoral process despite potential challenges from disruptive forces.