India to Hold Assembly Elections in Disputed Kashmir Amid Controversy

India has announced that assembly elections in the disputed region of Kashmir will take place in three phases starting September 18, marking the first such elections since the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, revoked the region's semi-autonomy in 2019. The elections will run until October 1, according to the Election Commission. However, the local assembly will have limited legislative powers, primarily overseeing education and culture, while major policy decisions will remain under the control of New Delhi. Local politicians and residents have expressed disappointment over the lack of a commitment to restore statehood, which they argue is essential for the region to regain full legislative authority. Malik Zahoor, a local resident, emphasized that it would have been beneficial if statehood restoration had been included in the announcement. Mohit Bhan, a spokesperson for the Kashmir People's Democratic Party, criticized the elections as insufficient, stating that the region has been reduced to a "municipality" from its previous status as a powerful state. The upcoming elections will cover 90 constituencies, excluding Ladakh, and follow a controversial redrawing of assembly boundaries that favored the Hindu-majority Jammu region. The last assembly elections were held in 2014, after which the Bharatiya Janata Party formed a coalition government with the Peoples Democratic Party. The region has a long history of conflict, with ongoing militant activity and a significant loss of life since the insurgency began in 1989. While authorities claim violence has decreased since 2019, recent months have seen an uptick in militant attacks against government forces.