SRINAGAR: After holding day-long discussions with stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir, the Election Commission on Saturday said it will hold further consultations in Delhi on timing of Assembly polls in the flood-ravaged state.
It, however, made it clear that relief and rehabilitation work will not be affected in case the polls are held on time.
“Even in the event of our deciding to hold the elections, in all our instructions, they will never interfere with relief work,” Chief Election Commissioner V.S Sampath told reporters here.
Sampath, who was accompanied by Election Commissioners Harikrishna Brahma and Syed Nasim Ahmad Zaidi, said they met the stakeholders, including all recognised political parties in the State.
“We have had day-long consultations with all concerned. We have noted their views vis-a-vis conduct of elections. Quite a few of them maintained that elections should be held on schedule and that there should not be any delay, while some others were also mentioning that holding of elections will interfere with relief and rehabilitation,” he said.
“We will be getting back to Delhi. We have to hold some more consultations before we come to a final conclusion about the scheduling of the elections. We will be announcing it as soon as we make up our mind,” he said.
In response to a question, Sampath said that the state administration was thoroughly prepared for holding polls in J-K.
“The preparedness of the administration for the conduct of elections is thorough. They are fully prepared,” he said.
Earlier, the Election Commission interacted with political parties in Jammu and Kashmir as part of exercise to decide the timing of Assembly polls in the State which was recently ravaged by floods.
While the National Conference told the full commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner V.S Sampath, which arrived here this morning, that time was not conducive for polls in view of large scale destruction caused by the floods last month, ruling coalition partner Congress and opposition parties including PDP have supported holding polls before the end of this year as per schedule.
At least 25 of the 46 Assembly constituencies in Kashmir Valley have been affected in varied degrees due to the floods in the first week of September, prompting the ruling National Conference to call for delaying the polls in order to focus on relief and rehabilitation.
“Time is not for conduct of elections as people are trying to rebuild their lives which were badly affected by the floods,” National Conference General Secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar told reporters after the meeting the Election Commission, which interacted with representatives of various political parties.
Pradesh Congress Committee Vice President Ghulam Nabi Monga said his party impressed upon the commission that delay in conducting polls would necessitate imposition of Governor’s rule in the State.
“Governor’s rule is not substitute to the democratic process. Only elected representatives can serve people better …. The human tragedy that befell the State due to floods needs people’s representatives for providing them succour,” Monga said.
PDP spokesman Naeem Akhtar said his party reiterated its earlier stand about holding elections in time.
After his meeting the Election Commission at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre here, CPI(M) State Secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami told PTI, “While focus has to be on relief and rehabilitation of the flood victims, the democratic process should not get affected as it is only the elected representatives who can deliver on this front.”
