Now, final Rolls to be published on May 27
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 20: Chances for early conduct of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir have further dampened with the Election Commission of India extending date for publication of final electoral rolls in Jammu and Kashmir from May 10 to 27.
Revised schedule by the Commission was issued today.
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The Commission had earlier clarified that ongoing Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls in Jammu and Kashmir won’t impact the Assembly elections.
As per a copy of revised schedule of Special Summary Revision issued by the Election Commission of India and addressed to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Jammu and Kashmir PK Pole, the exercise, which otherwise would have concluded on May 10, would now culminate on May 27.
As per the fresh schedule, the claims and objections can be filed from April 5 to May 6 while disposal of claims and objections would be done by May 15. Checking of Health Parameters and obtaining Commission’s permission for final publication and updating database and printing of supplements will be done on May 22.
The final voter list would be published on May 27.
This is the second voter revision in Jammu and Kashmir in a period of less than one year after culmination of delimitation exercise by a three-member panel headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice (Retd.) Ranjana Prakash Desai.
The delimitation exercise concluded on May 5, 2022 by the Panel when it unveiled the final electoral map of J&K. Jammu & Kashmir is without an elected Government for almost five years now.
In the Special Summary Revision undertaken after Delimitation exercise, final rolls were published on November 25, 2022.
The erstwhile State is under the Central rule from June 19, 2018 when BJP withdrew support to Mehbooba Mufti-led Government, citing “deteriorating security situation” in J&K.
Sources said the Election Commission also reviewed Lok Sabha election arrangements with CEOs and other Election Department officers of different States/Union Territories in New Delhi.
However, no review has so far been carried out on conduct of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
There have been reports that the Election Commission team could visit Jammu and Kashmir shortly to assess preparations for the Assembly elections. Sources were, however, of the view that if Assembly polls are not held now, they will be pushed further as the administration has to make arrangements for annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath Ji shrine which will be held this year for 62 days from July 1 to August 31.
The Municipal and Panchayat elections will become due in October-November this year while Lok Sabha polls are scheduled to be held in April-May next year.
The Election Commission has started preparing for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls by commencing the manufacturing of 8.92 lakh new Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail Machines and retiring 2.71 lakh such M2 model machines.
The Commission has identified 3.43 lakh VVPATs for ‘preventive maintenance’ and 2.43 lakh for upgrades to reduce machine replacement rate.
The poll panel undertakes the exercise of checking Electronic Voting Machines and Paper Trail Machines ahead of every Lok Sabha polls.
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