The Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated the process of conducting Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
Jaydeb Lahiri, Secretary of the Election Commission of India, announced through a press note that the commission has decided to accept applications for the allotment of a common symbol under Para 10B of the election symbols (Reservation & Allotment) order 1968 for the General Election to the legislative Assembly of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir with immediate effect.
This action follows Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar’s statement, wherein he indicated that the people of J&K would soon witness the formation of their democratically-elected government in the Union Territory.
After the last Assembly election held in Jammu and Kashmir in 2014, a coalition government led by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed of the BJP and the PDP came into power. Following Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s death in 2016, his daughter Mehbooba Mufti took charge of leading the coalition.
Following the withdrawal of the BJP from the coalition government on June 18, 2019, Mehbooba Mufti resigned from her position as Chief Minister.
The imposition of Governor’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir was followed by the implementation of President’s Rule.
On August 5, 2019, the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A resulted in J&K becoming a Union Territory. Since then, the Lieutenant Governor has been leading the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
