SRINAGAR,Kashmir (Correspondent LP)-National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, who was also the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, asked the Centre on Monday why it was delaying the restoration of statehood and the holding of Assembly elections in the Union Territory. He said that the people there wanted to elect their own government as soon as possible.
He also wished everyone a happy New Year on Saturday and expressed his hope that the elections would be held soon. He reminded the Centre that the Election Commission had ordered it to conduct the polls by September next year.
He appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Singh to look into the matter and listen to the people’s genuine concerns.
The Supreme Court had also directed the Election Commission on December 11 to take the necessary steps for holding the elections by September 30, next year.
This came after several petitions challenged the Centre’s decision to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and divide it into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh — in 2019.
The Supreme Court had upheld the Centre’s move, saying that Article 370 was a temporary provision and the President had the power to revoke it.
