Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir is set to conduct local elections for the first time in ten years, according to the head of the electoral commission, who announced this on Friday. These elections were previously halted in the contested region after New Delhi implemented direct rule in 2019.
"Elections, after a prolonged pause, are scheduled and will take place in Jammu and Kashmir," stated chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar during a press briefing in New Delhi. He further noted that the voting process will be conducted in three phases from September 18 to October 1. The broader Kashmir area is shared among India, Pakistan, and China. The Indian-controlled portion previously held a unique status, which was annulled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration in 2019, leading to the division of the state into two centrally governed territories.
This move to hold new elections comes after a directive from India's Supreme Court in December, which dismissed petitions questioning the removal of Kashmir's special status and mandated that provincial elections be held by September 30. The electoral commission reports that nearly 9 million voters are registered to elect the 90-member legislative assembly. Historically, elections in Kashmir have faced threats from militants and have often seen low voter participation. However, the region achieved its highest voter turnout in 35 years, reaching 58.46 percent, during the parliamentary elections held in April and May of this year.
