Assembly polls mark little big step for J&K

The three-phase assembly elections in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir begin today with polling scheduled in 16 constituencies in the Kashmir Valley and eight in Jammu. These are the first assembly elections in J&K in a decade and, of course, the first after the abrogation of Article 370 that once defined the erstwhile state’s relations with the Indian Union. The import of these elections is not limited to the UT; it will influence perceptions about Indian democracy beyond national borders.

Two important points need to be emphasised. One, it is welcome that electoral democracy is being restored to J&K. The restoration of statehood should follow. The response from both the public — though polling percentage will be an important metric — and the political class suggests that everyone in J&K wants a popular, representative government. The recent general elections indicated the yearning for electoral democracy, with a 58.46% turnout. Two, there is a crowd out there in the fray (219 candidates) for the first phase. Among them are candidates from the regional titans — the National Conference and the PDP — and local groups (former militant and now Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid’s Awami Ittehad Party in alliance with independents associated with the banned Jamaat-e-Islami), as also national parties including the Congress, BJP, CPI(M) and AAP, which has put up independent candidates.

This offers choices to voters — welcome in a democracy even if it complicates the poll outcome. Each party has promised its version of what J&K ought to be — from return to statehood to restoration of Article 370. The compulsions of office would surely moderate the demands, but the first step is to ensure that polling takes place in a peaceful environment, and away from the threat of guns.

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