‘Ready for polls in J&K any time now, process to restore full statehood’: Center replied to SC
Srinagar: The Central Government has filed a reply in the Supreme Court regarding the elections in Jammu and Kashmir, but the decision lies with the Election Commission and the state poll panel. The hearing on the Petitions filed against the removal of Article 370 was held in the Supreme Court today for the 13th day. On behalf of the Central Government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court, we are ready to conduct elections in the Union Territory anytime, the voter list is almost ready but first panchayat elections will be conducted.
The SG further said that the State Election Commission and the Central Election Commission will take a decision in this regard. The elections to the District Development Council have already been held. Now panchayat elections will be held soon. Leh Hill Development Council elections have been held. These elections of Kargil will be held in September. He also said in the Supreme Court that as far as the question of restoring full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, the process has already started but no one can give a definite time frame for it.
Earlier, in the 12th day hearing held on August 29, the Supreme Court had asked the Central Government that in what time Jammu and Kashmir would be able to get statehood again. A reply has been filed by the Center regarding this today.
In the last hearing, the central government had told the Supreme Court that the government would restore the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir but Ladakh would remain a union territory. SG Tushar Mehta had told the Supreme Court on behalf of the Center that he would give a positive statement in this regard on Thursday. During this, he told the court that Jammu and Kashmir has been temporarily divided into two Union Territories (Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh). Ladakh will remain a union territory, but Jammu and Kashmir will soon be made a state again.
Explain that while hearing the petitions filed against the abolition of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, the Supreme Court had asked the Central Government to fix a deadline for restoring electoral democracy in the state. The apex court also said that the present system should end. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Central Government in the Supreme Court, said that the Union Territory status given to Jammu and Kashmir is not a permanent thing. The government has put forth its point on this complex issue in the court today.
