US Reacts To J&K Assembly Polls, Says 'Free & Fair Elections Cornerstone Of Thriving Democracy'

The US reacted to the recently conducted Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir and emphasised the importance of free and fair elections.

The United States has reacted to the recently concluded Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, where the National Conference-Congress alliance managed to secure a victory by winning 49 of 90 seats. When asked about the polls during a presser in Washington, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller asserted that free and fair elections are the cornerstone of democracy.

"Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of a thriving democracy and when it comes to these elections, we don’t take a position on any party or candidate," Miller said.

The journalist who asked the question cited United Nations Security Council Resolution 47 adopted on 21 April 1948, and asked if the plebiscite resolution was ever going to be implemented in the region. Miller, however, refrained from answering the questions.

Notably, the 1948 UN Commission for India and Pakistan recommended measures that would bring about a cessation of the fighting in the Kashmir region and create appropriate conditions for a free and impartial vote to decide whether the State of Jammu and Kashmir would accede to India or Pakistan. However, New Delhi has maintained that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.

J&K Polls

The INDIA bloc is poised to form the first elected government in Jammu and Kashmir, having secured a victory in the assembly elections by securing 49 out of 90 seats on which polls were held for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 five years ago. The National Conference (NC), the oldest regional party in J&K, emerged as the clear frontrunner, winning 42 seats and falling just six seats short of a majority of its own.

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] managed to secure the single seat allotted to it under the seat-sharing agreement, while the Congress party won six seats, with five of those in the Kashmir valley.

The BJP also made notable gains, winning 29 seats -- its best performance in J&K to date, up from 25 seats in the 2014 elections. Despite the defeat of J&K BJP president Ravindra Raina, the party's vote share increased from 23 per cent in 2014 to 25.64 per cent this year.

The NC saw a rise in its vote share as well, improving from 20.77 per cent in 2014 to 23.43 per cent this election cycle. In contrast, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) experienced significant losses, winning only three seats compared to 28 in 2014 and witnessing its vote share drop from 22.67 per cent to just 8.87 per cent. The Congress also faced a decline, securing only six seats -- down from 12 seats a decade ago -- with a corresponding drop in vote share from 18 per cent to approximately 12 per cent.