LG says poll process in J&K to begin 'soon'

Hinting at holding Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir in the near future, Lieutenant Governor (LG) Girish Chandra Murmu on Thursday said the election process will begin soon.

"Election will come. It is a Union territory with a legislature, it will not continue like this (LG's rule)," he said, while addressing a function of the police department.

"The process for holding the election will come soon," Murmu said, speaking at the Attestation-cum-Passing out Parade of the 14th batch of Constables, held in the Talwara area of Reasi district.

Asking the police force to get ready for shouldering their responsibility, the LG said there will be an important role for the men in uniform (in the forthcoming election).

It maybe recalled that Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Speaker Nirmal Kumar Singh met the LG at the Raj Bhavan here on Wednesday.

The statement of Murmu, who took over as the first LG of the Union territory on October 31, will come as a relief to political parties.

On August 5, the government revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status and bifurcated the state into two Union territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.