The Election Commission on Sunday announced a seven-phased election in Jammu and Kashmir beginning 17th November till 24th December, saying it has taken a “risk” on the issue of participation of political parties in the exercise.
Announcing the poll schedule, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami said that the snow-bound Leh and Kargil regions would go polls in the initial two phases.
Against the backdrop of parties and outfits in the Kashmir Valley expressing themselves against polls at this juncture, the CEC said the Commission has taken a “risk”.
This was in apparent reference to political parties in Kashmir like the PDP which said no to polls and another mainstream party, National Conference (NC) which gave its nod after having voiced initial reservation.
On the issue of lack of consensus among the political parties, he said “first you need to ask if political parties are ready. We are not conducting election in a vacuum. To
start with there were one no, one yes and one yes-no. After that one no became one yes. So we have two yes and we have taken a risk”.
To another question whether there was a difference of opinion among the three Commission members on holding polls to the assembly with 87 seats, the CEC said “various issues need to be considered. So each one presents his views which he considers the best. There are three Election Commissioners and at least there may be three opinions”.
Within the poll panel, two Commissioners are understood to have favoured immediate polls while the CEC had some reservations.
Asked whether the Commission was apprehending a low turnout in the elections, Gopalaswami said that this question needed to be put to political parties.
“If the political parties are not ready, then there is nobody who is going to go out and canvass,” he said.
To a question on if the parties boycotted the polls; he said the Commission has never prevented anybody from giving a call on his own willingness.
“What we have depended upon is political parties mobilising voters and ensuring that the elections go on”, he said.
Observing that the Commission has prepared contingency plans to supplement the state machinery for the conduct of the polls, Gopalaswami said about 3,500 government employees from outside could supplement the state machinery.
He said in the last assembly polls in 2002, government employees from outside the state were deployed for the exercise.
There are 65,38,111 electors in J and K which is currently under Governor’s rule.
The assembly was dissolved following political instability after the PDP withdrew its support to the Congress-led government in the wake of Amarnath land row.
The span of Governor’s rule would end on 10th January.
The CEC said that in view of the recent developments in the state, the Commission had a series of meetings with political parties, Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta and senior civil and police officers.
The Centre has assured the Commission that adequate number of contingents of central police forces would be made available to ensure the safety, security and free movement of electors, candidates, leaders of political parties and polling personnel and guarding of polling materials and polling stations, he said.
Gopalaswami said that the Commission expected all officials engaged in conducting elections to discharge their duties in an impartial manner without any fear or favour and the model code of conduct would come into force immediately.
The seven-phased polls would be held on 17th , 23rd and 30th November, 7th , 13th ,17th and 24th December.
The notification for the first phase covering ten assembly constituencies would be issued on 24th October and the last date for filing nominations would be 31st October.
The scrutiny will take place on 1st November and the last date for withdrawal would be 3rd November.
The second phase would cover six assembly segments and the notification would be issued on 29th October.
The last date for filing nominations would be on 5th November and the scrutiny will take place the following day.
The last date for withdrawal would be on 8th November.
For the third phase which would cover five constituencies, notification would be issued on 4th November.
Last date for filing nominations would be 11th November and the scrutiny the following day. The last date for withdrawal would be on 14th November.
In the fourth phase in which 18 constituencies would be covered, notification would be issued on 10th November.
Last date for filing nominations would be on 17th November and scrutiny the following day. Last date for withdrawal would be on 20th November.
The fifth phase would take care of 11 constituencies. Notification would be issued on 17th November.
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