MHA bats for joint J&K, Lok Sabha elections

New Delhi: The home ministry will recommend to the Election Commission that elections to the recently dissolved Jammu & Kashmir

Assembly be held along with the upcoming Lok Sabha polls since there would be large-scale mobilisation of security forces during that period and it would be easier to re-locate paramilitary forces from states such as Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to J&K once Lok Sabha elections are completed in these states.

The home ministry and the poll panel officials will hold a series of meeting in the coming months to finalise deployment of forces for J&K elections since security in the state  remains a top concern.

J&K governor Satya Pal Malik had dissolved the state Assembly on Wednesday.

The state had been under the Governor’s Rule ever since BJP pulled out of coalition government with Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP in June this year.

Even though there was speculation that different political parties were exploring various combinations of forming a coalition government in the state, Mr Malik, in a surprise move, announced the dissolution of the J&K Assembly earlier this week.

Home ministry sources indicated that from their side the ministry would suggest to the Election Commission that fresh polls in J&K be held along with the Lok Sabha elections next year as it would be more convenient for them to mobilise security forces during that period.

“Since there would be large-scale movement and deployment of security forces during the Lok Sabha elections it would be easier for us to shift them to J&K from other states in North India, especially Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, once voting during general elections there is completed. So, from a logistics point of view, it is best if the J&K elections coincide with those of the Lok Sabha. Or else, we will have to make special arrangements, which would more time-consuming and involve a higher financial cost also,’’ a senior ministry official said.

In the run-up to the Lok Sabha election, which is scheduled for early next year, both home ministry and the Election Commission will hold a series of meetings to discuss security arrangements. During these, sources added, the home ministry will strongly recommend holding Assembly and Lok Sabha polls together in J&K. Ministry officials argued that since the state has already been under the Governor’s Rule since June this year, there was no urgency to hold immediate elections. Governor’s Rule, officials added, can be extended for till the Lok Sabha elections so that Assembly polls can also be held at the same time.