No state polls in Jammu and Kashmir for now: EC

New Delhi, Mar 10: Putting a stop at all the speculations, the Election Commission on Sunday said that there will be no elections in Jammu and Kashmir for now.

"EC recently visited J-K, met political parties and government officials... Due to constraints in number of security forces and recent violent incidents in Jammu and Kashmir there will be no assembly elections in the state." Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said.

According to the Chief Election Commissioner, a three member panel of observers will be appointed to assess the security situation for holding assembly election later.

Earlier in the day, word was doing the rounds that the elections in Jammu and Kashmir might be delayed given the tight security situation in the region.

Since the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly has been dissolved, the EC is bound to hold fresh polls there as well within a six-month period, which will end in May.

Governor's rule was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir on June 19, 2018 after the state plunged into a political crisis when the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP coalition government was reduced to minority following withdrawal of support by the 25-member BJP in the state.

The assembly had been kept under the suspended animation then.

However, the governor on November 21 dissolved the 87-member state assembly after the Peoples Democratic Party, supported by the Congress and arch rivals National Conference, tried to stake claim to form the government.

The Governor had cited "extensive horse-trading", the "impossibility" of forming a stable government by coming together of political parties with "opposing political ideologies" and "serious doubts about the longevity of any such arrangement where there are competing claims of majority" as the reasons behind the decision.

When the governor's rule expired on December 19, 2018, President's rule was imposed in the state as under the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, there is no provision for extension of governor's rule.