The time has come for the government to take a bold step and hold elections, as this will be a significant step towards restoring democracy in the region. Democracy is the foundation of any nation, and there is a need to breathe new life into it in J&K, which has been operating without an elected government for several years now. The assembly elections will also provide the people of J&K with the opportunity to elect representatives to the state legislature and express their views. The same would contribute to the consolidation of normalcy and the environment of stability and long-term development established by the government in recent years.
Having elected representatives and, more significantly, an elected government would be beneficial in addressing the people’s demands and concerns. More importantly, providing people with a chance to elect their representatives and having a government that provides them with a sense of representation is a right guaranteed by the Indian Constitution that cannot be denied or derailed for them any more. The Government of India, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has repeatedly stated its commitment to restoring normalcy by destroying the groups that oppose peace, but it has also stated its commitment to the restoration of democracy in J&K. While the government has been successful in putting an end to terror operations in J&K, the time has come to put its promise to democracy restoration into action.
The action aspect of this pledge would be to declare early assembly elections in J&K, which would be a step in the right direction for bringing peace and stability to the region and ensuring people’s rights are safeguarded. There is a need to resurrect democracy and allow people to exercise their right to choose their representatives. That would be a win-win situation for the government because it would not only provide the people with a sense of representation, but it would also reinforce the fabric that the government has built in J&K over the last few years.
