'Mission Kashmir' of Election Commission (EC) appointed Special Observers suffered a major setback on Thursday when Omar Abdullah's National Conference decided to boycott the three-member group apparently to protest the EC's decision not to hold simultaneous polls to Assembly and Lok Sabha in J&K.
"What is the need of meeting the EC observers' team again? We have already made our stand clear on Assembly elections in the state. Our stand remains the same which means conducting simultaneous Assembly, Lok Sabha elections in the state. We have nothing more to add," said Haji Ali Mohammad Sagar, general secretary of National Conference (NC)
EC on Sunday decided to hold parliamentary polls for six seats in five phases and appointed three Special Central Observers -- Dr Noor Mohammad, Vinod Zutshi and AS Gill -- for assessment of the situation for the assembly elections.
"Postponement of assembly polls can have serious ramifications across the state. The ones who took this incoherent decision must be up to some mischief otherwise there is no sound reason for not conducting both assembly and LS elections together. If the situation is conducive for LS polls, what stops them from conducting assembly elections?" asked Sagar.
Jammu and Kashmir was placed under President's rule on December 20 and as per the law, the elections to the assembly has to be held within six months.
Unlike other states, the J&K has to be placed under governor's rule for six months in case of fall of the government or no party or combination is in a position to form the government. J&K was placed under governor's rule in June last year after BJP withdrew support from PDP and amid high drama the assembly was dissolved in November.
"I fail to comprehend the yardstick that has been employed by EC in not announcing both elections together. Why the same principle was not employed at the time of ULB and Panchayat elections?, " asked Sagar.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister Mehooba Mufti too pitched for early assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir. "People are facing so many problems... We want elections as soon as possible so that a popular government is formed," she said.
