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Written by: Press Trust of Kashmir

Created: 13 March 2019

SRINAGAR: The three observers appointed by the Election Commission of India for monitoring the situation in Kashmir are all set to arrive in the state next week. Top Sources confirmed News agency Press Truest of Kashmir that “Election commission to hold Assembly election polls in Jammu and Kashmir till September, October”.

Sources that the three appointed observers will reach Jammu and Kashmir on Monday and will assess the ground situation. Election Commission on Sunday appointed three former civil servants Amarjit Singh Gill (IPS 1972 Batch, Former DG, CRPF), Noor Mohammad (IAS 1977), and Vinod Zutshi (IAS 1982) as special observers for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sources said that the three observers will stay in Kashmir and also visit Jammu to assess the ground situation and also monitor the nature of poll campaign launched by the political parties for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. While addressing the press briefing on Sunday, the Chief Election Commissioner had announced that no Assembly elections will be held in the state simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections 2019, owing to recent incidents of militancy.

“The Commission has been constantly accessing the prevailing condition in the state. Based on input, the constraint of availability of central forces and other logistics, the requirement of forces for security of candidates in wake of recent violence and keeping other challenges in mind EC has decided at this stage to announce the only schedule of Parliament election in J&K,” Sunil Arora had said while announcing the dates of Lok Sabha polls.

Presently, the state of Jammu and Kashmir is under Presidential Rule after BJP ended the ruling alliance with the PDP party-led by former J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti. In the aftermath of the recent Pulwama attacks, political parties had asked the Elections Commission to hold the assembly elections along with the Lok Sabha polls in April-May.