The Election Commission on Tuesday said that the schedule for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election would be announced later this year, after the conclusion of Amarnath Yatra.
The EC, under Article 324 of the Constitution and other laws, unanimously decided that conduct of the Assembly elections in the State would be considered later.
“The Commission will keep on regularly and on real-time basis monitoring the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, taking inputs from all necessary quarters and after the conclusion of Amarnath Yatra will announce the election schedule,” it said.
The poll body had earlier sought some clarification from the Union Home Ministry on the issue, after examining the reports from the State administration and three special observers.
“It was also decided to seek the opinion of an eminent legal expert in the context of ongoing President’s Rule in Jammu & Kashmir,” an official said.
President’s Rule
The President’s Rule came into effect on December 19 last year, six months after the Governor’s Rule had started.
Following multiple rounds of meetings with officials and representatives of political parties, in view of the security situation, the Commission had not announced the schedule for Assembly polls along with that of Lok Sabha elections.
