Amidst safety discussions, EC considers joint Lok sabha and meeting polls in Jammu Kashmir

The Election Fee (EC) on Friday held conferences with prime House Ministry and Railway officers to debate the deployment and motion of safety personnel throughout the nation forward of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The EC prime brass additionally mentioned the opportunity of holding meeting polls in Jammu and Kashmir alongside state meeting elections in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.

Whereas the Supreme Courtroom had directed the EC to carry meeting polls in Jammu Kashmir by September 30, there was no official phrase on whether or not meeting polls in J-Ok might be held with Lok Sabha polls anticipated to happen in April-Could.

The phrases of the state assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim finish on completely different dates in June and state elections there will likely be held alongside Lok Sabha polls.

Every time meeting elections are held in J-Ok, they would be the first since Article 370 of the Structure was abrogated and Jammu and Kashmir was divided into two Union territories in 2019.

The electoral train in Jammu Kashmir is normally unfold over a month. Following the delimitation, the variety of meeting seats has gone up from 83 to 90, excluding the seats allotted to Pakistan administered Kashmir.

In December final, the Supreme Courtroom had directed the ballot panel to carry meeting elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30. In the course of the conferences, the ballot panel underlined the necessity for well timed motion of central forces being deployed for election responsibility.

The Fee pressured the necessity for good coaches in trains which will likely be used for the motion of safety personnel and pressed for meals on board such trains.

The ballot panel was represented by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and fellow Election Commissioner Arun Goel, and different senior officers.

In the course of the deliberations, the EC insisted on assembly the deadline of early subsequent week for “superior induction” of safety personnel.

The Fee additionally demanded a adequate variety of helicopters for the deployment of central forces in troublesome terrain, together with areas affected by Left-Wing Extremism.

The ballot panel has additionally requested for cashless remedy of personnel in case of damage or different medical emergencies throughout ballot responsibility deployment.

The assembly comes days earlier than the Fee is prone to announce the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections.

The essential deliberations additionally come days forward of the Fee’s Jammu Kashmir go to early subsequent week to assessment ballot preparedness.

The EC has sought 3.4 lakh Central Armed Police Pressure personnel for Lok Sabha and 4 meeting polls.

With almost 97 crore voters, the EC would arrange roughly 12.5 lakh polling stations throughout India.

The final time Lok Sabha polls had been introduced on March 10 and had been held in seven phases starting April 11. Votes had been counted on Could 23. PTI