Elections in J&K must now take place since, contrary to what was previously stated, the delimitation process has already progressed beyond that point and a potential obstacle has also been removed, leaving the government with little room for manoeuvre in order to further delay the elections. The dismissal of the petition by the SC must have also sent a strong signal to the political parties in J&K, with the exception of the BJP, that nothing is really going to change and that they must accept the finality of the delimitation exercise, particularly its results, which will be crucial in the J&K assembly elections that will take place whenever they are announced.
Even though the political parties in J&K rejected the delimitation exercise and expressed dismay at the Supreme Court’s decision, it is true that they will have to follow it. By doing so, they know that the BJP will have the upper hand, which will cause them sleepless nights in the coming weeks, especially soon after the election’s announcement. These parties are aware of their extreme position in the political spectrum, but the BJP will experience advantages that it has never had before in J&K politics because of the undeniable reality that more constituencies will support it.
The benefit will take the form of giving the party the chance to increase its representation and will allow the BJP to increase its reach by being allowed to run candidates in districts where it had no prior presence. The BJP’s electoral prospects in the UT will undoubtedly improve, and it will be better able to capitalise on regional, religious, and caste-based voting patterns. After everything is said and done, all that is left to do is wait for the Election Commission of India to announce the dates of the J&K assembly elections because the outcome will determine the course that the UT will take because, interestingly enough, the BJP will ultimately hold the key to power for any other political party.
