Political Parties invited for meetings at SKICC
Srinagar, Aug 6: With the high expectations of assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, the Election Commission of India (ECI) is all set to visit the Union Territory on Thursday (August 08) while the political parties have been invited for the meeting.
Sources privy to the development told Morning Kashmir that the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Jammu and Kashmir, has sent letters to different political parties and given them different time slots for the meetings.
The parties have been asked to send their representatives nominated by them to meet the Election Commission of India on the scheduled date.
The EC, led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, is scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir from Aug 08 to August 10 to review preparedness for assembly polls. Kumar will be accompanied by Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and SS Sandhu.
The Commission would also meet the chief electoral officer, state police, nodal officer and central forces coordinator to discuss preparations for the polls.
According to sources, the Commission will also hold meetings with Chief Secretary Atul Dullo, Director General of police RR Swain and deputy commissioners and senior superintendents of police of all 20 districts here.
On August 10, the Commission is expected to review preparedness for the polls in Jammu and would hold a media briefing there before returning to New Delhi.
It is worth mentioning here that on July 31, the ECI had directed the Jammu & Kashmir administration to shift officials who are serving in their native districts or those who have completed three years in a particular district during the last four years.
Pertinently, Jammu & Kashmir is without an elected government since June 19, 2018 when BJP withdrew support to Mehbooba Mufti-led government, citing “deteriorating” security situation in the erstwhile state. The last assembly election in J&K was held in 2014.
The Supreme Court had asked to conduct the assembly polls in Jammu & Kashmir before September 30 while the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the other union ministers have clarified that the elections will be conducted soon.
PM Modi in his maiden visit after assuming the office for the third straight term, had told in Srinagar that the preparations for the elections have been started and it will be conducted soon.
