In an indication of the Election Commission’s intent to hold assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir simultaneously with Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, the poll body has ordered the special summary revision of electoral rolls in all the three states, with October 1 as the reference qualifying date. This follows the notification of latest amendments to the election laws that, among other things, allow first-time voters to enroll on four cut-off dates in a year - January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1.
Earlier, January 1 was the sole qualifying date for a first-time voter to get his/her name added to the elector’s list. The EC's move is aimed at providing all young eligible persons attaining the age of 18 years between January 1 and October 1 this year, an opportunity to get themselves registered in time to vote in the impending assembly elections in Gujarat, Himachal and the Union territory of J&K.
As per the schedule drawn up by the commission, draft publication date of last parts of electoral rolls of Gujarat and Himachal is scheduled on August 12; it will be done only by September 1 for J&K. The final publication of the last parts of electoral rolls is scheduled for October 10 for Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat and October 31 for J&K. Usually, the EC waits for the final publication of revised rolls before announcing the polls.
This points to the scope of polls being announced in the two states and the UT of J&K only in November. While this schedule suits Gujarat and Himachal where the term of the current assembly is expiring only in January- February 2023, it leaves a very narrow window for holding the assembly poll in J&K as the UT usually starts becoming snowbound by the second half of November.
