Jammu and Kashmir completes 5-year central rule; political parties raise chorus for early polls

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir on Monday completed five years without an elected government, prompting a scathing attack from the mainstream National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party over the delay in restoration of democracy in the Union Territory.

On August 5, 2019, the Centre revoked Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcated the state into two Union territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti resigned from the post of the chief minister on June 19, 2018 after alliance partner BJP withdrew support to her coalition government.

In a sarcastic tweet, National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah on Monday said democracy in India ends where Jammu and Kashmir begins.

"Democracy is in our veins, it is in our culture'; ‘India is the mother of democracy’; ‘India is the temple of democracy’. Great sounding words that the international community lap up & regurgitate ad-nauseam. Meanwhile J&K completes 5 years under central rule today. Democracy ends where J&K begins," he tweeted.

PDP spokesperson Mohit Bhan said the entire nation should hang its head in shame.

"Entire nation & its leadership must hang their heads in shame for calling itself 'Mother Of Democracy'. J&K languishes under central rule for a staggering 5 years, with the last election held 9 years ago. The blatant disregard for people's rights & representation is appalling," he said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, the chorus for holding assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir is growing with all political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), urging the Election Commission to announce the poll dates.

The last assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir took place in 2014.