SRINAGAR: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has officially started the process of holding Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

“The commission has decided to accept applications seeking allotment of common symbol under Para 10B of election symbols (Reservation & Allotment) order 1968 for the General Election to the legislative Assembly of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir with immediate effect,” said Jaydeb Lahiri, Secretary of the ECI through a Press note.

This follows the statement of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Rajiv Kumar, in which he said that the people of J&K would soon have their democratically-elected government in the Union Territory.

The last Assembly election was held here in 2014 after which a coalition government of the BJP and the PDP headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed came to power.

After Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s death in 2016, the coalition was headed by his daughter, Mehbooba Mufti.

BJP withdrew from the coalition government on June 18, 2019 following which Mehbooba Mufti resigned as the Chief Minister.

Governor’s Rule was imposed in J&K which was followed by President’s Rule.

J&K was downgraded to the status of a Union Territory on August 5, 2019 when Articles 370 and 35A were abrogated.

Since then the UT of J&K came to be headed by the Lieutenant Governor.