The Special Summary Revision exercise conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) has concluded in Jammu and Kashmir.
The revision of electoral rolls has added 772872 new electors in the final electoral roll, i.e. a 10.19% net increase of the registered electors over the draft roll.
The finalization of electoral rolls means that assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir could be announced anytime as the preparations are almost complete.
Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, during his visit to J&K in October this year had announced that assembly polls in the Union Territory would be held soon. Soon after his announcement election preparations were expedited. The District Electoral Officers met the representatives of the political parties and other steps like reviewing poll arrangements were also taken.
The revision of electoral rolls in J&K was ordered by the Election Commission of India (ECI) after the completion of the Delimitation exercise in the Union Territory. The task included mapping the existing electoral rolls of 83 pre-delimitation constituencies to the post-delimitation 90 constituencies, in accordance with the Delimitation Commission’s Order, rationalization of polling stations and integrations of the electoral rolls.
Last assembly elections in J&K were held in 2014 after which PDP and BJP came together to form a coalition government in the erstwhile state. Mehbooba Mufti led government crumbled under its own weight in 2018 after BJP pulled out from the arrangement.
On August 5, 2019, the Centre scrapped J&K’s special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories. The assembly and parliamentary constituencies were redrawn.
During the past three years the political scenario in J&K has changed completely. The maiden assembly elections in J&K UT will prove to be an entirely different ball game as none of the political parties are placed comfortably.
Speculations are rife that the assembly elections in J&K will be held early next year. Political parties have started the preparations. In the coming days J&K is all set to witness the revival of political activities. Only time will decide which party would perform and which one would perish. One thing is for sure that J&K would witness an interesting political battle and the slogan of development would hold the key.
Electoral Rolls Revised
