Indian-Controlled Jammu and Kashmir has elected its first government since the region lost its special autonomy and came under direct control of the Indian government in 2019. The voters supported opposition parties to lead its regional assembly, marking a significant political development in the restive Himalayan territory.
After the revocation of Kashmir’s partial autonomy in 2019, the region faced mass arrests and a prolonged communications blackout. The Muslim-majority territory, claimed by both India and Pakistan in full, had been under the rule of a governor appointed by New Delhi, without an elected local government.
The recent local elections, the first since 2014, resulted in an alliance of the opposition National Conference (NC) and Congress parties winning 48 of the 90 seats in the assembly, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 29 seats.
Some observers view the election as a de facto referendum on the federal government’s decision to revoke the territory’s special status. Social activist Iqbal Ahmad Bhat described the results as a judgment against New Delhi’s actions. However, Prime Minister Modi expressed pride in the BJP’s performance, stating that the high voter turnout reflected the people’s belief in democracy.
