Editorial: A long wait comes to an end

The challenge before the Election Commission now is to ensure the smooth conduct of polls in J&K

The decade-long wait for the Assembly polls is finally over, with the Election Commission announcing a three-phase polling schedule for Jammu & Kashmir. The last Assembly elections were held there in 2014. Ever since the abrogation of Article 370, ending the special status to J&K and its bifurcation into two Union Territories, the people of the trouble-torn region have been waiting for the elections. The challenge before the Election Commission now is to ensure the smooth conduct of the polls. The recent spurt in terrorist attacks, particularly in the Jammu region, has thrown up a big challenge for the authorities. Terrorists have changed tack in recent times: they are targeting Hindu-dominated areas, while Muslim-majority Kashmir is no longer the epicentre of turbulence. In view of this shift, there is greater pressure on the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre to ensure peaceful campaigning and polling. Elements inimical to India will try to disrupt the proceedings. The key is to create an environment conducive for the voter to come out and vote without fear. The delimitation exercise necessitated by the reorganisation has altered the electoral landscape, with the Jammu region’s seat count rising significantly from 37 to 43, while the number of Assembly constituencies in Kashmir has gone up from 46 to 47. This will have a bearing on the election outcome and the alliances. There are four mainstream political parties — the Congress, BJP, National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party — in the fray.

Besides, there are other splinter groups like the People’s Conference, the Apni Party, the Democratic Progressive Azad Party and Engineer Rashid. Rashid is likely to field his candidates in the Kashmir Valley, particularly in the north after getting elected as an independent candidate from the Baramulla-Kupwara parliamentary constituency defeating former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. While it will be a straightforward contest between the BJP and the Congress in Jammu, the field is wide open in Kashmir. The recent Lok Sabha elections were incident-free in the Valley. This reflected a realisation among the Kashmiris that they could be part of the governance of the country that is theirs as much as it is of any other Indian. This is despite considerable anger over the Centre’s decision to convert the State into a union Territory. There is a growing desire among the people to actively engage in shaping their future. All stakeholders in the region must seize the momentum and work towards building a more inclusive and representative governance framework. Despite claims of ushering in development and peace after scrapping Article 370, there have been no credible follow-up measures to boost development and create jobs in the trouble-torn region. After the upcoming Assembly polls, the Centre must restore statehood as promised. The BJP leadership has often showcased the abrogation as the panacea for all ills plaguing J&K, but things have not turned out that way.

---