Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election, 2008

Jammu and Kashmir state assembly elections, 2008

17 November 2008 to 24 December 2008
all 87 seats in Legislative Assembly 44 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	60.5%
First party Second party Third party   Leader Omar Abdullah Mehbooba Mufti Party JKN PDP INC Last election 28 16 20 Seats won 28 21 17 Seat change none 5 3   Fourth party Fifth party   Leader Bhim Singh Party BJP JKNPP Last election 1 4 Seats won 11 3 Seat change 10 1
Chief Minister before election Ghulam Nabi Azad INC Elected Chief Minister Omar Abdullah JKN

Elections for the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir were held over seven days in November and December 2008. The previous government led by the Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party (PDP) in coalition with the Indian National Congress (INC) collapsed when the PDP withdrew. Following the election, the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (NC) agreed a coalition with Congress and their leader, Omar Abdullah became the state's youngest ever Chief Minister at 38.

Background

Elections for the Jammu and Kashmir state Assembly were due in 2008, following the end of the term of the Assembly elected in 2002. However the PDP withdrew from the INC-led state government in protest at the Amarnath land transfer decision. The INC government resigned in July 2008 and the state was brought under direct rule of the central government pending the elections.^[1]

Boycott

The main Kashmiri separatist group, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference called on Kashmiris to boycott the elections, saying the elections were a "futile exercise" that would never "fulfill the aspirations of the people".^[2]

Despite these boycott calls, NC leaders claimed that activists from Jamaat-e-Islami had comeout and voted for the PDP.^[3]

There were scattered separatist protests throughout the elections, including hundreds who protested in Srinagar. Police prevented these protestors from marching to the centre of the city which led to protestors throwing stones at the police who fired tear gas and used baton charges.^[4]

Security

Indian election officials voiced major concerns about the security of the elections given the calls for boycott and protest from separatist leaders and the recent violence over the Amarnath land transfer controversy. Voting was staggered so that security forces could maintain control. Thousands of security forces were deployed during the voting. In Srinagar, security forces were posted at junctions, patrolled the streets and guarded polling stations. An unofficial curfew was enforced, gatherings of more than five people banned and neighbourhoods were sealed off with steel barricades and razor wire.^[4]

Police also arrested three men they accused of being Jaish-e-Mohammed members planning suicide attacks in Jammu.^[5] One of those arrested was a soldier in the Army of Pakistan, who Pakistan said had deserted in 2006.^[4] However following the polls the NC leader, Farooq Abdullah, thanked the Pakistan government for their "non-interference" with the polls.^[6]

Results

The seven stages of the elections were held as follows:

Voting stages

Turnout rose by 17%, despite calls from Kashmiri separatists and Pakistan for Kashmiris to boycott the election.^[8][9] INC head Sonia Gandhi described the polls as "a triumph of Indian democracy".

Separatist supporters were said to have backed the PDP.^[9] The BJP's increase in support was said to be due to polarisation arising from the Amarnath land transfer controversy, which led it to increase its seat tally from 1 to 11 seats.^[10]

1,354 candidates stood for election including 517 independents and nominees from 43 political parties.^[11]

Summary

 Summary of the November - December 2008 Jammu and Kashmir state assembly election results

Party	Flag	Seats	+/–
National Conference		28	0
People's Democratic Party		21	+5
Indian National Congress		17	-3
Bharatiya Janata Party		11	+10
Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party		3	-1
Communist Party of India (Marxist)		1	-1
People's Democratic Front		1
Jammu & Kashmir Democratic Party Nationalist		1
Independents		4
Total (turnout 60.5%)		87
Source: Electoral Commission of India

Government formation

Former National Conference Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, said he did not want to return as it "required the energy of a younger man", and nominated his son, Omar Abdullah, and the head of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference instead.^[12]

Congress debated forming a coalition with either Conference or the PDP. It was reported that the PDP had offered to support a Congress candidate for Chief Minister if they joined with them. However, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi were reported to favour the largest party to "honour the mandate" of the election.^[13]

On 30 December Congress and the National Conference agreed to form a coalition government, with Omar Adbullah as Chief Minister.^[14]

References