National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah on Tuesday asked if the Centre cannot hold assembly and Lok Sabha elections together in Jammu and Kashmir, how can it conduct simultaneous polls across the country.
Abdullah was reacting to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar’s remark that the officers of the Union Territory administration had expressed inability to conduct the elections simultaneously in view of the requirement of a large number of security forces.
“When the CEC addressed a press conference, he said the ECI and all political parties are ready for polls, but the current administration (in J-K) put hurdles, saying they need more security forces.
“In such a situation, I am forced to question that when no assembly polls are being conducted in other states like UP, and Bihar, and you cannot conduct simultaneous elections now, then when you talk about one nation, one election, and have to conduct the polls simultaneously in states like UP, MP and Bihar, then where from will you get the forces?” Abdullah told reporters here.
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