SRINAGAR
Most of the political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, barring the BJP unit, have slammed the stand of the central government in the Supreme Court saying they are ready to hold elections anytime while giving no time frame for the restoration of statehood.
The Congress, National Conference and PDP, along with all the regional political parties, have said that the government is trying to shift the focus away from the petitions which are before the Supreme Court for the restoration of special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370. The National Conference on Friday told media that they have petitioned before the Supreme Court to strike down the 5 August 2019, decision about abrogation of Article 370.
National Conference leaders said that they did not approach the Supreme Court for the restoration of statehood or holding of elections. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta has told the court that elections would be held in Jammu and Kashmir very soon as the voter lists have been almost upgraded.
Jammu and Kashmir has been without an elected legislature since the summer of 2018 as the PDP-BJP government fell due to the pulling of support by BJP to the Mehbooba Mufti government. The PDP has also criticized the central government for delaying elections under one or the other pretext while all the political parties have demanded restoration of democratic rights by allowing elections.
The Centre, through its lawyer Solicitor General Mehta, told the court that the BJP government was committed to restore the statehood and hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir, without giving any timeframe.
The Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP also said that they have a lot of hope in the Supreme Court that they will restore Article 370 and 35A. PDP said that holding of elections without restoring statehood carries no meaning. PDP said that they have been waiting for the Supreme Court to restore the special status of Jammu and Kashmir while describing all the decisions taken by the government on 5 August 2019 as illegal.
J&K Apni Party led by Altaf Bukhari, which is regarded as being close to BJP, has slammed the Centre for its statement in the Supreme Court.
Apni Party Chief Altaf Bukhari told the media that the statement in the Supreme Court is a casual statement and they have been promising elections for the last three years. He said that democratic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir should be restored first by restoration of statehood followed by elections.
Meanwhile, Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti participated as members of coordination committee and election strategy committee of the I.N.D.I.A alliance and they have been given many assignments by the Opposition leaders for the coming parliamentary elections.