Jammu & Kashmir assembly election likely to take place in June  

A paramilitary soldier stands guard in Srinagar.

New Delhi: After the Lok Sabha election conclude, there is a possibility that the assembly poll in Jammu & Kashmir will be held in June ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra. This is the indication according to the general view expressed by the state administration and the Union home ministry.

A June assembly poll in J&K is expected to ensure that a new assembly is voted before the president’s rule in the state is due to expire.

The home ministry had stated, in a written communication to the Election Commission, that considering higher requirement of security personnel, the parliamentary elections should be held first, immediately followed by the assembly poll.

The government had opposed holding the assembly election simultaneously with the general election right from the outset and said decoupled polls would reduce requirement of security personnel in the state.

The ministry also claimed while it was putting nearly 2.7 lakh paramilitary personnel at disposal of the Election Commission for the Lok Sabha election across the country, in which J&K alone would have over 70,000 paramilitary forces on poll duty. The troops can be then can be retained for the assembly election in the state.

The Lok Sabha election starts on April 11 and ends on May 23.

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