The bill is aimed at replacing an Ordinance (introduced on February 28) to provide reservation for economically weaker sections living in areas adjoining the actual Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. President’s rule was imposed after the BJP pulled out of its coalition government with the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party, or PDP, on June 19, 2018.
"The Election Commission after consultations with Jammu and Kashmir administration and all the political parties decided to hold Assembly polls by the end of this year.
The Election Commission took this decision in view of religious events like Ramzan and Amarnath Yatra and the prevailing security situation," Shah said.
On the Reservation Bill, the Home Minister said it will benefit 3.50 lakh people residing in border areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
"A total of 433 villages in the state including 70 in Kathua, 133 in Samba and 232 in Jammu will be the beneficiaries of the Bill," he said.
In the Lok Sabha last week , Shah brought up Jawaharlal Nehru’s name and said that if India's first prime minister hadn’t offered a ceasefire in January 1949, the part of Kashmir that is wwith Pakistan today would have been with India.
Congress has said that an “incompatible” BJP-PDP alliance is to blamed for the current President’s rule in the state, and not the situation there.
Congress leader Manish Tewari had said if the party continues to look at Jammu and Kashmir with "its ideological blinkers," the problem of the state cannot be resolved.
However, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Ram Gopal Yadav today announced in the Lower House that the party will support the extension by 6 months of the President's rule in Jammu & Kashmir which is ending tomorrow.
(With additional information from Agencies)