L-G Manoj Sinha: Those seeking early J&K polls should cooperate on delimitation

Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said those demanding early Assembly elections in the Union Territory must cooperate with the Delimitation Commission for completion of the exercise at the earliest.

Responding to mediapersons’ query about holding of Assembly polls at the inauguration of Horti-Expo 2021 here, Sinha said there are Constitutional institutions in the country and the decision regarding polls is taken by the Election Commission. “Once the Delimitation Commission’s work ends, the Election Commission will assess the situation and announce the dates for polls,’’ he added.

The Prime Minister has already assured the entire country about it and the commission has started its work, he said. “They shall themselves think that if they want early polls then Delimitation (of Assembly Constituencies) will have to be done,’’ he said, while responding to a question about opposition National Conference MPs boycotting the commission’s meeting. To ensure early polls, “they shall help in delimitation work instead of resorting to excuses’’ as only then the elections will be held, he added.

Asked about PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s suggestion for dialogue with Pakistan, he declined to comment and said the Ministry of External Affairs will handle such matters.

To a question on an increase in incidents of militancy in Srinagar city, Sinha said only two incidents have taken place — one in which a module involved in an attack on the son of a Dhaba owner was busted and three accused arrested and the other in which two unarmed police men were killed. Condemning such acts, he said, “Let me tell you, militancy won’t be allowed to grow at any cost.’’

The three National Conference MPs, including party president and former CM Dr Farooq Abdullah, Wednesday stayed away from the meeting of the Delimitation Commission in Delhi. In a letter, they asked the commission’s chairperson, retired Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, to not proceed with the delimitation process as J&K Reorganisation Act 2019 is under the scrutiny of the Supreme Court.