New Delhi: Political parties on Thursday reacted to the Centre's stand in the Supreme Court on the restoration of statehood and holding assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.
While the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP accused the Election Commission of India of working as an extension of the BJP, other parties called the statement similar to the Centre's stand over the last few years and just a diversionary tactic of the government.
Earlier today, the Centre told the Supreme Court that the assembly polls can be held in Jammu and Kashmir "anytime from now", with most of the work on the voters' list over, and the decision on specific dates depends on the Election Commission (EC).
Speaking to reporters, Suhail Bukhari, the chief spokesperson of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), "Election Commission of India has been working as an extension of BJP till now. It will be interesting to see what the Election Commission will do now that the Centre has said this in the Supreme Court...We hope justice will prevail and SC will give a judgement against this illegal act (abrogation of Art 370 & 35A in J&K)," reported ANI.
Meanwhile, the Apni Party said that it was a casual statement given by the Centre and there was nothing new in the submissions made by Mehta in the top court.
Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari told ANI, "It is a casual statement being issued by the Government of India for the past three years now. There is nothing new or serious in this statement."
He said the Centre has been saying since 2019 that elections will take place in Jammu and Kashmir. "They are saying it every day and we too are continuing with our political activities, but this is not something new. We had expected a firm date from the Supreme Court for restoration of statehood, but there is no firmness in their (Centre's) statements."
The National Conference (NC) described the submissions made by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta in the top court as a tactic to divert attention from the main issue of the challenge to the legality of the Centre's August 5, 2019 decisions.
National Conference (NC) spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said while his party will keep advocating for the restoration of democratic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, which include the holding of Assembly polls, "we would continue to fight for our constitutional and legal rights as well".
"We did not go to the Supreme Court asking for elections. Our basic petition is against the unilateral and unconstitutional decisions taken on August 5, 2019. What the SG has told the Supreme Court bench is a tactic to divert the attention from the main issue, which is the August 5 decisions, and we will confine ourselves to that," Dar told PTI.
Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference (JKPC) chairman Sajad Lone said the submissions made in the apex court were not very different from the statements that came from the Centre on the issue over the last four years.
"I am disappointed, not because of Jammu and Kashmir, but partly because of the judiciary. This is the highest pedestal of the judiciary and if it asks a question and the answer is the same and as ambiguous and evasive as it was four years ago, then I think it is a matter of concern," Lone told reporters, according to PTI.
Expressing his disappointment, he said that no timeline was given by the BJP-led Centre regarding restoration of statehood or holding the assembly polls and even the arguments presented were political and not legal.
The Centre abrogated the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution on August 5, 2019 and bifurcated the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into Union territories.