The central government on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it is ready for elections in Jammu and Kashmir anytime now. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that the process of updating the voters' list is underway and is "substantially over". He added that the Election Commission of India (ECI) will take a call on the schedule of the elections.
The Supreme Court is hearing a batch of petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. The Centre's submission is a significant development in the case, as it suggests that the government is keen to hold elections in the state soon.
The last elections in Jammu and Kashmir were held in 2018. The state was then bifurcated into two union territories - Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The ECI has not held any elections in either of the union territories since then.
The Centre's submission is likely to be welcomed by political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, who have been demanding the holding of elections in the state for a long time. However, it remains to be seen when the ECI will announce the schedule of the elections.
The Supreme Court is likely to continue hearing the petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 in the coming weeks. It is possible that the court may order the holding of elections in Jammu and Kashmir as part of its judgment.
