EC starts J&K poll process, orders revision of rolls

Starting its preparations for assembly polls in Jammu & Kashmir, the first after abrogation of Article 370, as well as in Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra, EC announced the special summary revision (SSR) of electoral rolls in the four states/UT with July 1, 2024, as the qualifying date.
Roll updation activities as well as rationalisation and re-arrangement of polling stations in the poll-bound states/ UT will start on June 25 and end with final publication of the revised rolls on Aug 20.
J&K polls are expected to be a standalone affair, given the large requirement of forces not only to maintain law and order and avert possible attempts at disruption of polls by terrorists, but also to protect hundreds of candidates from being targeted.
Usually, EC goes ahead with announcement of polls after the final electoral roll is published with respect to the closest of the four cut-off dates in a year - Jan 1, April 1, July 1 and Oct 1. J&K assembly polls are to be held before the Sep 30 deadline set by SC, with CEC Rajiv Kumar already having announced EC’s intent to conduct them soon.
PM Modi last week had assured the people in J&K that elections were not very far off.
The poll announcement, however, may come only after Amarnath Yatra winds up on Aug 19, and the publication of the final roll for J&K on Aug 20 will pave the way for this.
The term of state assemblies in Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand are expiring on Nov 3, Nov 26 and Jan 5, respectively. The choice of July 1 as the cut-off date for special summary revision of rolls in all three states points to possible clubbing of Jharkhand polls with those in Haryana and Maharashtra, with announcement likely in Sep.
As per the SSR timetable issued by EC, house-to-house verification by booth level officers shall be undertaken between June 25 and July 24 across all four states/UT to collect information on un-enrolled eligible citizens, multiple entries, dead and permanently shifted electors; and also to make corrections/improvements in rolls.