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Binoo Joshi in Jammu
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah seems to have given up his plans of holding early assembly elections.
"The elections would be held in October 2002," he said on Friday at Jammu airport when asked when the polls will be held.
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had hinted in his Independence Day speech on August 15 that the Kashmir elections could be held early and that they would be 'free and fair'.
Assembly elections were last held in Jammu and Kashmir in September 1996.
Unlike other states, the Jammu and Kashmir assembly has a six-year term, which is a year longer than others.
This is because of a legislation passed by the assembly during former prime minister Indira Gandhi's emergency regime in 1975-77, when it followed the Lok Sabha in increasing its tenure by a year.
The Lok Sabha later reverted to a five-year term.
Analysts view Abdullah's statement as an assertion of his authority to decide when the elections would be held.
At one stage, Abdullah himself had spoken of early elections to enable him seek a fresh mandate.
Still, Friday's statement is not being taken as the final word on the subject.
"He will keep everyone guessing till he finally makes up his mind," a member of Abdullah's National Conference party said.
Talk of early elections has been in the air since April last year when the leaders of the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference were set free.
Indo-Asian News Service
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