J-K Governor bats for holding state assembly elections in November

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik on Friday opposed the proposal to hold assembly elections in June and instead urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to hold elections in November. The state administration cited Ramzan, tourist season, and Bakerwal migration as reasons for advancing the polls to November this year.

Announcing seven-phased Lok Sabha election schedule on March 10, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora had said that elections for Jammu and Kashmir assembly would not be conducted along with the parliamentary elections. In June 2018, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had withdrawn support to the PDP government, led by Mehbooba Mufti in the 87-member state assembly. Since the fall of the coalition government, the state has been under the President's rule.