J&K Assembly Elections: Dates Likely to Be Announced Today, First Polls Since Article 370 Abrogation

The Election Commission of India is likely to announce the dates for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections on Friday, possibly after 3 PM. There is also a possibility that the Commission may announce the dates for the Haryana Assembly elections today as well. In Jammu and Kashmir, the Assembly elections are expected to be conducted in five to seven phases. This will be the first Assembly election in the region since the abrogation of Article 370. The last Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir was held in 2014, where no party secured a clear majority. Subsequently, the PDP and BJP formed a coalition government, which lasted for four years. On November 21, 2018, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was dissolved, with an assurance that elections would be held within six months. However, due to the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory, and the delimitation of constituencies, the Assembly elections have not been held yet. Meanwhile, politicians and the public have been consistently demanding the conduct of these elections.