Srinagar, Dec 12 (KNO): Jammu & Kashmir National Conference didn’t spell out its stance on holding Lok Sabha and Assembly polls simultaneously before a high-level committee headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind set- up by the Centre last year.
According to the report of the panel, a copy of which was accessed by news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), National Conference didn’t respond to the panel’s communique(s) on its suggestions about holding simultaneous polls.
The panel, according to the report, had sought responses from 62 political parties, which had at least one representative in Lok Sabha.
NC had 3 MPs in Lok Sabha when the panel asked it to submit suggestions.
According to report, 15 political parties including NC didn’t respond to the panel’s communiques to give them suggestions despite reminders.
In total, 32 political parties agreed with the proposal of simultaneous polls while 15 opposed.
Interestingly, Democratic Progressive Azad Political Party (DPAP) supported the idea of simultaneous polls, saying that frequent holding of elections adversely affects growth and development of the country due to the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct.
Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was also a member of HLC on simultaneous polls, heads DPAP. The party didn’t win any seat in the 2024 polls.
The DPAP, which is not a recognized political party, was not asked by the panel to submit its suggestions on the proposal but it did so in response to the public notice issued by the panel—(KNO)