India Announced to Hold Assembly Elections In IIOJK Since Revocation of Special Status In 2019

First Assembly election since J&K’s bifurcation into Union Territories in 2019. The region has been without an elected government since June 2018. The elections, scheduled for Sep 18 to Oct 1, 2024, voting will be held in three phases with first round on Sep 18. The next two phases will be held on Sept 25 and Oct 1^st , the counting of votes will be on Oct 4. The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and Indian National Congress (INC) are among the major political parties contesting the elections. The elected assembly, will have limited legislative power, with most authority remaining with the central government (Lt Governor). Local politicians have demanded the earliest restoration of statehood so that full legislative powers could be returned to the local assembly. Masses are apprehensive about Indian political machination tactics, with some expressing hope for local governance, while a large populace criticize the lack of full statehood restoration for the region. The enthusiasm that people of IIOJK showed in the Lok Sabha election and the surge in freedom fighter and Indian forces encounters (especially Jammu) are two aspects of the situation in Kashmir, which can cast serious impact on the results of elections. The electoral exercise will be used as an excuse by Indian government to deploy huge number of additional forces; resulting in more human rights abuses. In fact, after the recent illegal act of empowering Lt Governor analysts and experts termed the elections as “like too little, too late.” Contrary to the demand of people of IIOJK (complete restoration of special status), India has reduced the political status of IIOJK to a municipality. Local leadership stated, “This isn’t democracy, it’s a mockery. Restoring full statehood should be the first step”. The state elections in IIOJK after series of illegal demographic changes by India and limiting the State Assembly’s. Under the new rules, the LG will now have the final say on the functioning of the All India Services that includes the senior bureaucracy of the Union Territory. The LG will also have the final approval over the appointment of the Advocate General and other law officers. The 2024 elections of IIOJK is the tactic to hide the reality of Indian Government by shifting the focus towards normalization of democracy in the region. The first step toward solution to the Kashmir dispute isn’t conducting unjust elections but to address the human rights violations faced by Kashmiri people for last seven decades. The ultimate solution to the Kashmir issue lies in granting the right to self-determination to the people of IIOJK, rather than perpetuating ineffective electoral processes and implement the UN resolution.