Observers to visit all parts of State shortly
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 11: Following criticism of the Election Commission decision to defer Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and conduct Lok Sabha polls by regional as well as some national political parties, the Election Commission of India (ECI) will be meeting all three Special Observers appointed for the State after which they will visit the State to assess the ground situation.
Reliable sources told the Excelsior that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora and two Elections Commissioners, Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra would meet the three Special Observers for Jammu and Kashmir, who were named yesterday by the Commission for monitoring smooth conduct of Lok Sabha polls in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The Commission would issue terms and conditions for the Special Observers and hold detailed discussions with them on conduct of Lok Sabha elections and deferring of the Assembly polls,” sources said, adding role of the Observers and their reports and suggestions would be significant and acted upon by the Commission.
Three Special Observers named by the Commission yesterday while announcing schedule of general elections included Noor Mohammad, an IAS officer of 1977 batch, AS Gill, an IPS officer of 1972 batch and Vinod Zutshi, an IAS officer of 1982 batch.
Noor Mohammad, the former Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, had served as Secretary of National Disaster Management Authority and Deputy Election Commissioner of India and had monitored elections in Afghanistan while Vinod Zutshi had served in the Election Commission for seven years as Deputy Election Commissioner before being elevated to the Union Secretary of Tourism. AS Gill had retired as Director General of CRPF and remained posted as IGP CRPF in J&K from 1995 to 1997.
When approached for comments, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Jammu and Kashmir, Shailendra Kumar said the Special Observers will visit Jammu and Kashmir shortly to oversee arrangements for Lok Sabha elections and will interact with the officials and public in the State.
“Schedule of the visit will be known shortly,” Kumar said.
According to sources, the Special Observers were likely to visit all three regions of the State including Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and will inter-act with representatives of major political parties, civil and police administration and all other stakeholders to ensure smooth conduct of Lok Sabha elections and assess possibilities on conduct of the Assembly polls.
“The Special Observers remained associated with Jammu and Kashmir in one way or the other. While Gill had served as IGP CRPF in the State from 1995 to 1997, Noor Mohammad and Vinod Zutshi had visited the State during their stints with the Election Commission of India and all of them were well versed with the situation in the State,” sources said, adding they would give their suggestions and reports to the Election Commission of India after visiting the State on how to proceed ahead with Lok Sabha elections to keep them free, fair and violence-free and creating conducive conditions for the Assembly polls.
Number of regional and national political parties including Congress (I), National Conference, People’s Democratic Party, CPI (M), National Panthers Party, Bahujan Samajwadi Party among others had reacted sharply to the Election Commission’s decision to defer Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and hold the Lok Sabha elections. They questioned that if the situation was conducive for conduct of Lok Sabha elections, why it was not ripe for the Assembly polls.
The Commission officials, however, had clarified that the Assembly elections required very high numbers of security personnel in view of the candidates, who will be around 900 to 1000 as compared to 50 or 60 for the Lok Sabha elections.
Assembly elections in the State were due to be held before May 21, 2019. Governor Satya Pal Malik had dissolved the State Assembly on November 21, 2018 and as per the guidelines, elections to the Assembly had to be conducted within six months of the dissolution of the House. However, under exceptional circumstances, the Election Commission had the powers to defer the Assembly elections, which will lead to extension of President’s rule in the State beyond June 20, 2019. Governor’s rule was imposed in the State on June 20, 2018 and after six months; it was converted into the President’s rule for another six months on December 20, 2018.
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