Jammu and Kashmir, India’s westernmost region, held its first local elections in a controversial way since the region’s government abruptly removed its semi-autonomous status in 2019. Additionally, they were the first municipal elections held in Muslim-majority Kashmir since 2014.
It marked a major event for the area. The election will recover, at least half, some degree of self-rule five centuries after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took it away.
When the official results of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata party ( BJP) were released this week, they were a resounding defeat. 48 seats in the 90-seat regional legislature were secured by the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference ( JKNC ) and the Indian National Congress. The BJP won 29, mostly in the Hindu-majority Jammu place.
The former chief minister, Omar Abdullah, was likewise reinstated as president. Given that he lost his competition for a chair in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, in the recent federal elections, this was a surprising turn.
What’s changed?
In the past, strikes and low voter turnout have caused elections in Jammu and Kashmir, mainly due to the government’s mistrust.
There was also a sense of treachery after Modi’s government revoked Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. This had given the area its own law and the authority to pass its own rules, as well as giving special privileges to local residents.
But, voter participation in this year’s election reached 64 %. Additionally, the participation of separatists and independent individuals suggested a shift in perspective regarding the democratic process.
The elections provide evidence that normal has returned to Kashmir after decades of continued violence, according to the BJP. In a tweet, Modi wrote,” Some citizens claimed that if Article 370 was removed, Jammu and Kashmir had fire.” However, it did n’t burn, it blossomed”.
Modi had promised during the battle that” independence” would be restored, though he suggested this would be realized only if the BJP was winning.
With Modi’s criticism winning, some believed the vote to have been a de-facto vote on the state’s unique position.
The JKNC has generally opposed the withdrawal of Article 370 and the cutting of Kashmir’s freedom. The group has pledged to work toward restoring that particular status, as well as repealing the harsh Public Safety Act, which allows for the incarceration of persons for up to two years without being charged, and requesting amnesty for detainees.
In reality, however, the result wo n’t undo the revocation of Article 370. The new nearby assembly will be able to pass laws, hold discussions about local issues, and endorse decisions for the territory, especially those relating to culture and education. However, Abdullah will still need to ask for the colonel president’s approval before making any significant choices.
The BJP still has some influence in New Delhi, despite the fact that some Kashmiris oppose their efforts to stop it from gaining access to the area.
The BJP expanded the colonel governor’s power over people buy and surveillance. The Directorate of Public Prosecutions and the local anti-corruption commission are also under the command of the lieutenant government.
These power received a lot of negative feedback from the regional opposition parties.
Coming of democracy?
American security forces have recently cracked down on regional media outlets, social media, and other forms of communication, focusing particularly on any expressions of Kashmiri unity with Palestine.
According to human rights advocates, there are still crimes and persecution in the area, and the current state of affairs has been exacerbated by the climate of fear.
One of the biggest complaints against Kashmiris is still that they are stateless. Abdullah said himself that “restoration of full, pure independence for]Jammu and Kashmir ] is a necessity for these votes”.
Just time will tell if these needs can be met, but there is a chance that a new local government will begin to ameliorate Kashmir’s miserable condition.
As I mentioned in a new audio, there is faith that the new government will contribute a lot to restoring some form of independence to Kashmir as long as the lieutenant governor’s new forces do not interfere with it.
At Flinders University, Leoni Connah teaches on foreign connections.
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