The Election Commission has sought further clarification from the Union Home Ministry on holding the Assembly polls in Jammu & Kashmir.
The Commission took up the issue at its weekly meeting on Tuesday. After examining the reports from the State administration and the three special observers, it decided to seek more information on certain aspects of the preparedness.
“It was also decided to seek the opinion of a legal expert in the context of the President’s rule,” said an official. The President’s rule came into effect on December 19, six months after the Governor’s rule.
Following several rounds of meetings with the local administration and Home Ministry functionaries, the EC officials had earlier visited the State and met the political parties. In view of the security situation, it did not announce the schedule for the Assembly polls along with the Lok Sabha elections.
The Commission then appointed Noor Mohammed, A. S. Gill and Vinod Zutshi as special observers who recently submitted their findings. The State administration had urged the EC to consider the upcoming month of Ramzan and the Amarnath Yatra while taking a decision.