New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed Election Commission (EC) of India to hold elections in Jammu & Kashmir by September 30, 2024.
The Supreme Court pronounced three verdicts after hearing a batch of petitions challenging the scrapping of Article 370 which granted special status to the erstwhile state.
Upholding the Presidential order clearing a bill passed by Parliament on August 5, 2019, a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said that direct elections were one of the paramount features of democracy and can’t be withheld.
“We direct that steps shall be taken to conduct elections for the Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir by September 30, 2024, and statehood shall be restored as soon as possible,” the Supreme Court bench said.
Assembly elections were last held in Jammu & Kashmir in 2014, after which People’s Democratic Party (PDP) formed a coalition government with the BJP.
In 2018, however, the government collapsed after BJP pulled out of the alliance.
The assembly was then dissolved and Governor’s Rule was imposed for the eighth time in J & K.
