National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah on Monday accused the Jammu & Kashmir Lieutenant-Governor’s administration of sabotaging simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the Union Territory (U.T.).
“Sad, the government of Jammu and Kashmir sabotaged simultaneous conduct of Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. It does not want people to have their own elected government,” Mr. Abdullah, who toured south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, said.
Mr. Abdullah highlighted the Supreme Court directions, where it directed the Government to hold Assembly elections in J&K by or before September 30, 2024.
J&K, which was bifurcated into two UTs with its special status withdrawn in 2019, remains without an elected Assembly since 2018 and the last Assembly elections were held in 2014.
On a question regarding announcing of candidates in J&K, Mr. Abdullah said his party NC will announce the list of candidates “at an appropriate time”.
The former J&K chief minister also criticised the BJP over a recent move to notify rules of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. “The BJP always targeted minorities during elections. The CAA is aimed to target not only Muslims but also other minorities living in the country,” Mr. Abdullah said.
