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India on Friday announced three-phased assembly elections in disputed Kashmir that will start on Sept. 18, the first since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in 2019 stripped the Muslim-majority region of its semi-autonomy and downgraded it to a federally controlled territory.
Since those changes, the region has remained on the edge while being governed by New Delhi appointed administrator and run by bureaucrats with no democratic credentials.
The elections are to be held through Oct. 1 in a staggered process that allows the government to deploy tens of thousands of troops to prevent any outbreak of violence. Votes will be counted on Oct. 4.
However, the local assembly will barely have any legislative powers with only nominal control over education and culture. Legislating laws for the region will continue to be with India’s parliament while policy decisions will be made in New Delhi.
Local politicians have demanded the earliest restoration of statehood so that full legislative powers could be returned to the local assembly.
