In a communication to the Supreme Court on Thursday, the Centre revealed that the timing of elections in Jammu and Kashmir is open-ended, and the decision rests with the Election Commission. The government presented a roadmap for reinstating electoral democracy and full statehood, underscoring that the current union territory status is temporary.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta conveyed to the five-judge bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud that elections in J&K would unfold in three phases: commencing with panchayat polls, followed by municipal elections, and culminating in legislative assembly elections. Mehta emphasized that the ongoing efforts by the Centre to reestablish stability in the region are making progress, with the prospect of complete statehood contingent upon the extent of normalcy achieved.
Earlier, on August 29, the Centre clarified that the status of J&K as a union territory is not a permanent arrangement. A comprehensive statement on this contentious political matter is anticipated to be presented to the court on August 31.
This development transpired within the context of a five-judge constitutional bench handling petitions contesting the abrogation of Article 370. The bench had prompted the Centre to outline a specific timeframe for the reinstatement of electoral democracy in the erstwhile state.
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