By Ovais Gull
Srinagar: As the Election Commission of India (ECI) team reached Srinagar to hold deliberations with the political parties here, the mainstream political parties here on Monday pitched for simultaneous elections in Jammu and Kashmir, saying that concurrent Parliamentary and assembly polls in the State is in the interest of people.
Various political parties including National Conference (NC), Congress, CPI (M), PDF and others met the ECI team here and echoed similar views regarding Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the State.
Former minister and senior Congress leader, Taj Mohi-ud-din said, the party delegation that met ECI team today pitched for simultaneous elections in Jammu and Kashmir. “We explained each and everything to ECI team regarding the demands of simultaneous elections in the State. The decision has to be taken by them but our party demand that both the elections be held simultaneously,” he said.
Ali Muhammad Sagar, NC General Secretary after meeting the ECI team here said, “We (NC) put forth our suggestions that both the elections be held simultaneously.”
He said some people are pitching for separate elections here, which according to him is for their political benefits. “The simultaneous elections in Jammu and Kashmir are in the interests of people and we have put forth our suggestions before the ECI team,” he said.
CPI (M) delegation that called on ECI team apprised them that administration will be overburdened if elections are held separately.
The delegation further apprised ECI team that Jammu and Kashmir is without an elected government for the past almost nine months and in the absence of an elected government, uncertainty in the state is deepening day-by-day and dissatisfaction among large section of people is increasing.
“Only effective response to this situation is to initiate democratic process and hold elections to Assembly and Lok Sabha simultaneously. Any delay to do so will hamper the process of improvement in the situation,” CPI (M) apprised.
Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) and former MLA Khansahib, Hakeem Muhammad Yasin also called on ECI team and echoed similar views there, saying both the elections be held simultaneously.
