JK assembly poll schedule after Amarnath Yatra, says Election Commission

The Commission said it will keep monitoring the situation in the state regularly based on inputs from all necessary quarters, and will announce the election schedule after the conclusion of the Amarnath Yatra.

In a statement, the poll panel said it has unanimously decided that "holding of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir shall be considered later in this year". (Photo by Sonu Mehta/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Tuesday said it will announce the schedule for assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir after the Amarnath Yatra, which begins next month. In a statement, the poll panel said it has unanimously decided that holding of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir shall be considered later in this year. "The Commission will keep on regularly and on real-time basis monitoring the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, taking inputs from all necessary quarters and after the conclusion of Amarnath Yatra will announce the election schedule for the conduct of assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir" the circular further added.

Election Commission: Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir shall be considered later in this year, to announce election schedule after the conclusion of Amarnath Yatra. (ANI)

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The 46-day-long yatra will begin on July 1, the day of Masik Shivratri, and would conclude on August 15, the day of Shravan Purnima. It is said that over 1.10 lakh devotees have registered for the annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas. Currently, the state of Jammu and Kashmir does not have an elected dispensation since the PDP-BJP coalition government fell apart in June 2018. The state was placed under Governor's Rule, as provided by the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, on June 19, 2018, after the BJP withdrew from its coalition with the PDP. As mandated by the Constitution, the state was brought under President's Rule on December 19, 2018. The term of the central rule ends on June 19 which is set to be extended. In April, when representatives of the Jammu and Kashmir government had met the EC, they had indicated their reluctance of holding polls to the state legislative assembly in the near future in view of the ongoing tourist season and the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra in the Valley, which will begin on July 1. The EC, during the meeting, rejected had the assertion of the officials from Jammu and Kashmir that the situation in the state needs to be assessed before conducting the assembly polls. The Commission was of the view that if the Lok Sabha polls could be held, there should be no issue in holding the elections to the state assembly. The April meeting between J&K officials and EC top brass had taken place days after the three special observers appointed by the EC submitted their report on the possibility of holding assembly polls in the state after the Lok Sabha polls. When the dates for the Lok Sabha polls were announced on March 10, the poll panel had decided against holding parliamentary and assembly polls simultaneously in the state. It had said that the situation in J&K was not conducive for holding assembly polls. The Lok Sabha polls were held by and large peacefully in the state though the turnout of voters was low. (agency inputs) ALSO WATCH: Eid-al-fitr to be celebrated tomorrow in India