NEW DELHI: Union home minister S.B, Chavan ruled out further postponement of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and gave indications that polls could be held in the state before January 17 when President’s rule is due to end in the Valley.
Chavan said the law and order situation had considerably improved and elections could be held with the usual precautionary measures. If polls were postponed any further, Chavan stressed, it would only encourage militants to go on creating further ‘trouble.
Chavan, who was being interviewed for Doordarshan, said final decision about the timing of the polls would be taken by the Prime Minister on his return from abroad. Talking about his meeting with various party leaders, ‘the home minister said nobody was ‘opposed to installation of a popular government in the state through elections though there were different views on the timing of the polls, He expressed hope that all the parties would take part in the elections whenever these are held. ‘The home minister said the Election ‘Commission had the power to attend. 10 the problems of Kashmiri Pandit refugees highlighted by various political parties, Arrangements would be made for them to exercise their franchise.
The arrival of the Jammu and Kashmir chief secretary, Ashok Kumar, in the Capital Oct.22nd, gave credence to reports that the Center was about to take some important decision concerning the troubled state shortly. But Kumar denied that his visit had anything to do with the decision about elections.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 27, 1995
