India schedules local elections in contested Kashmir, 5 years after autonomy repeal

India has announced the schedule for three-phased assembly elections in Kashmir, starting on September 18. This will be the first election in the region since Prime Minister Modi’s government revoked its semi-autonomous status in 2019. The elections will run until October 1, with counting on October 4. The voting process will select a local government with limited powers, as legislative control remains with India’s parliament and policy decisions are made in New Delhi. The local assembly will have nominal control over education and culture.

The elections come after the region has been under the administration of New Delhi-appointed officials, causing tension in the area which has been demanding the restoration of its statehood. The previous assembly election was held in 2014, followed by the dissolution of the government in 2018 leading to the revocation of Kashmir’s statehood in 2019, under a significant security and communication lockdown.

Kashmir has been a disputed territory between India and Pakistan, with both countries administering different parts of the region while claiming the entire territory. The Indian-controlled portion has seen militant insurgency since 1989, with India attributing it to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, a claim Pakistan denies. Kashmiri separatist leaders have called for a boycott of the upcoming elections, citing them as illegitimate under a military presence.

While the Indian government asserts a reduction in violence since 2019, there has been a recent increase in militant attacks in certain areas. These elections will mark a crucial political development in the region, determining the leadership of the local government within the constraints set by the central government in New Delhi.