Jammu And Kashmir: CEC Rajiv Kumar Interacts With Media On Lok Sabha, Assembly Elections In UT

The ECI team reached Jammu on Wednesday to review preparedness for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the Union Territory.

Jammu And Kashmir: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Wednesday said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is fully involved and completely concerned about the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the Union Territory of Jammu And Kashmir.

CEC Rajiv Kumar said this while addressing a press conference in Jammu.

Answering a question over the delay in the holding of assembly elections in the erstwhile state, he said, “When delimitation took place under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, many changes had to be made and that is why it took so much time. There was no delay from our side.”

He said, “Keeping in view the security situation, it will be considered that assembly elections will be conducted as soon as possible. Or it should be conducted simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections.”

The ECI team reached Jammu on Wednesday to review preparedness for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the Union Territory.

In a stern message to the neighboring countries (Pakistan and China), CEC Rajiv Kumar said, “If Pakistan or anyone else tries to disrupt the elections in any way, it will be dealt with severely. Strict instructions have been given to the security agencies.”

The Election Commission team, which is on a three-day tour of Jammu and Kashmir, interacted with the representatives of the National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M), Congress, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), besides Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer PK Pole and nodal officers of the police in Srinagar on Tuesday.

There has been a growing demand among the political parties in Jammu and Kashmir that the Election Commission should hold assembly polls here simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls or immediately after the general elections.