EC orders new special summary review of electoral rolls in J&K

Although the Commission has set April 1 as the qualification date for the summary review, it has set May 10 as the date for the publication of the final electoral rolls.

In a communication to the Chief Election Officials of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, the Electoral Commission has informed them of its decision to conduct a special summary review of the electoral rolls.

The communication says that April 1, 2023 would be the qualifying date for the summary review. Draft integrated scrolls would be published on April 5, while objections and claims could be filed before April 20, he says. The claims and objections would be resolved on April 28 and the final publication of the electoral rolls would be made on May 10.

While Jammu and Kashmir has not had an Assembly since 2018, Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh were held last year.

This is the second summary review of the electoral lists in Jammu and Kashmir in less than a year. In June last year, the election panel ordered a special summary review of voter records in the Union Territory. The exercise was completed on November 25 last year.

In January, the chief election commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, had said that the process for the election was complete and that the polls would take place “taking into account various factors, including weather and security.” The statement had given hope to the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the elections could be held soon. However, for the Commission to order a new review of the electoral rolls means a new delay in holding the Assembly elections here.