J&K administration opposes state polls before Nov

The Governor's administration in Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday opposed the holding of state Assembly elections before November this year, informed sources said.

The reasons cited against holding these elections in June by the state administration are the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra, the holy month of Ramadan, Eid festival, tourism season and the movement of nomadic goatherds from pasture lands back to the places where they are registered as voters, the sources said.

A team of senior state government officials led by Chief Secretary B.V.R. Subrahmanyam had held a meeting with the full Election Commission in Delhi on Friday to discuss the holding of Assembly elections in the state.

In the wake of dissent expressed by the state administration, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday withdrew an earlier order regarding appointment of nodal officers for Assembly elections.

The order issued earlier in the day by the Additional J&K CEO addressed to all District Electoral Officers of the state said: "The letter...dated 26-04-2019 regarding the subject mentioned above stands withdrawn ab-initio."

The letter mentioned in this order had directed all electoral officers of the state to furnish within two days the list of nodal officers to be appointed for the conduct of state Assembly elections.

The state is currently under the President's rule.

--IANS

sq/nir