Jammu and Kashmir is now preparing for the state Assembly elections nearly a decade after it was last held. The elections will be held in three phases between September 18 and October 1.
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The announcement of the elections by the Election Commission of India comes as a happy augury as the exercise will provide an opportunity to the people of the state to get back the taste of democracy they would have been yearning for all this time.
The people of the state have seemingly felt alienated ever since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, which gave the state a special status, and the bifurcation of the state into two Union territories.
The return of the legislature under such circumstances will also restore the voice of the people to express their concerns freely and without fear, which is the cornerstone of any true democracy and which they have been missing.
After a prolonged period of Governor's rule, the people of Jammu and Kashmir are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to exercise their franchise and shape their political destiny.
Here, it must be put on record that it is the Supreme Court that deserves credit for the elections to finally come about; in its judgement on the challenge to abrogation of Article 370, which it had held valid, the Supreme Court had said in no uncertain terms that the elections would have to be held by September 30, 2024.
It is a matter of conjecture whether the elections would have been held without the apex court’s order. The court had also made it clear to the government that statehood would have to be registered as soon as possible.
The elections come at a time when the region is once again restive with militancy rearing its head; the incidents that cost the lives of several personnel of the security forces, including officers, have only demonstrated that militancy has only been lying dormant and also that help from across the border is still forthcoming, which should be a matter of great concern to the country.
It is, therefore, all the more reason to return power to the hands of the people as early as possible so that they may decide what is best for them within the four corners of the country’s constitution.
As the people exercise their democratic right, it is essential to prioritise inclusivity, development, and stability. The new government must address pressing issues, seize opportunities, and work towards a brighter future for all citizens.
Politically, the mandate was divided on communal lines when the elections were held last time.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the elections in the Jammu region where the Hindus are in a majority while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the National Conference (NC) and the Congress won almost all the seats in the Valley, which has a Muslim majority.
Given the clear demographic divide, it is hardly likely there will be any major change this time around.
The Congress is in the fray as well with its prime agenda of restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, and it is quite likely that it will partner the NC, its ally in the INDIA bloc, in the upcoming elections.
The need of the hour in Jammu and Kashmir is to ensure that the state does not slip into communalism, but values secularism and, above all, creates an environment where peace can not only take root but also thrive.
