EC to visit J-K on Tuesday, decide Assembly poll timing

GETTING READY: Elections to Jammu and Kashmir Assembly have to be held before January 10.

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New Delhi: A three-member Election Commission is visiting Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday to assess the situation there, fuelling speculation that Assembly elections in the state would be held on time.

Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami and the other two Election Commissioner Navin Chawla and S Y Quraishi would review the situation at a meeting with senior civil and police officials during their two-day visit to the state.

The term of the Assembly, which was dissolved following the breakup of the Congress-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) coalition in the wake of the Amarnath land transfer row, ends on November 20.

But since the state was placed under Governor's rule, the elections have to be held before January 10.

With prolonged unrest in Kashmir valley and in Jammu region over the Amarnath row, the Commission was keeping a close watch on the situation particularly whether it was feasible to hold the elections on time.

The Commission had earlier elicited the views of various political parties and discussed the security scenario with Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta.

The National Conference and PDP, two of the key players in the state's political scenario, are not in favour of Assembly elections in November saying the situation was not conducive for the exercise.

The BJP and the Left, however, wanted immediate elections while Congress left it to EC to take a call.