Assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir will be held soon in transparent manner: PM Modi
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In a televised address to the nation, Modi said a large parts of Jammu and Kashmir was bereft of democratic practices and electoral culture which exists elsewhere in the country, he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday assured the people of Jammu and Kashmir that elections would soon be held in the state for the assembly in a transparent manner, two days after government's decision to end special status for the state and split it into two union territories.
In a televised address to the nation, Modi said a large parts of Jammu and Kashmir was bereft of democratic practices and electoral culture which exists elsewhere in the country, he said.
''You will be shocked, in J&K for decades, lakhs and thousands of perople had right to vote in Lok Sabha polls but neither they could vote nor contest in assembly/local polls. These are those who came to India after partition in 1947. Should injustice have continued with them?'' he said.
Terming the changes in Jammu and Kashmir the beginning of "new era", he said that people across the country now have the same rights.
Modi said that he wanted the local young leaders of the region to enter politics and participate in the polls.
The Prime Minister urged the J&K Governor to complete at the earliest formation of the block development councils, pending for the last two-three decades.