“Kashmiris in Indian-administered Kashmir are preparing to vote in local government elections for the first time in a decade, following the suspension of the state legislature by India’s Hindu nationalist government. The elections have sparked criticism from mainstream Kashmiri parties and India’s opposition Congress party, who argue that the region’s legislature has been disempowered. Kashmir, a Muslim-majority region at the heart of a long-standing rivalry between India and Pakistan, will hold the elections in three phases starting on September 18, with results announced on October 8. The elections come after India’s Supreme Court ordered that the region be allowed to vote for its representatives. The elections are seen as a way for Kashmiris to express their desire to prevent the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from gaining power in the region. Mainstream political parties in Kashmir have promised to fight for full statehood and the restoration of the region’s special status, which was revoked by the Modi government in 2019. Critics argue that the government’s decision to expand the powers of the region’s administrator and weaken the state legislature has further disenfranchised Kashmiris. Despite widespread pessimism among Kashmiris, many are hopeful that the elections could bring about positive change in issues such as unemployment, human rights, and political representation. The elections have also been marred by accusations of gerrymandering, with Kashmiri politicians and analysts alleging that the BJP has redrawn electoral constituencies to favor the Hindu-majority Jammu region over the Muslim-majority Kashmir Valley. The significance of the elections lies in their symbolic value as a way for Kashmiris to voice their concerns and for New Delhi to demonstrate a return to normalcy in the region after the 2019 changes. The main players in the elections include the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party, with Kashmiri youth and voters expressing a mix of hope and disillusionment about the potential outcomes of the elections.”
