“The ballot is stronger than the bullet,” Abraham Lincoln once proclaimed, yet in the contested lands of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the power of the ballot is often overwhelmed and overshadowed by pellets and tear guns. As the Indian Election Commission announces assembly elections in IIOJ&K, beginning on September 18 with vote counting on October 4, 2024, one must ask: what does it mean to vote when the foundational identity of the polity is in question? The soul of statehood of Jammu and Kashmir, suspended in a liminal space between autonomy and central control, remains paradoxical. These elections, coming nearly a decade after the last in 2014 and following the abrogation of Article 370, are not just about electing representatives; it is an enduring contest between imposed governance and the people’s aspirations for autonomy.
In the grand theater of Indian democracy, the elections in IIOJ&K are staged like the political spectacles of ancient Rome, where the outward semblance of restored governance conceals a deeper philosophical irony: the illusion of freedom amid a heavily militarized setting, reminiscent of Plato’s shadows on the cave wall which reflects not liberation but the manipulation of perceived reality. Although the return of elections may initially seem like a welcome return to democracy in IIOJ&K, for the people, these elections hold little more significance than local body polls with nominal powers. With the revocation of Article 370 and the subsequent downgrading of Jammu and Kashmir to Union Territory status, New Delhi has effectively centralized control, stripping Kashmiris of their previously held autonomy, and this deep-seated grief and sense of loss among the people remains palpable. Kashmiris, who have been living under the direct control of New Delhi since the revocation, are deeply distrustful and hope that electing representatives, even with limited authority, may provide an opportunity to address local issues like development, healthcare, and education which have been deeply affected and need significant attention following the revocation.
Reluctant Optimism in J&K
The 2024 elections will fill 90 Assembly seats, but the authority of these representatives will be severely constrained. Kanwal Singh, writing for The Wire, highlights that “latest changes in government rules reveal statehood for J&K remains a distant dream.” Under the new service rules, critical areas such as law, order, and land remain under the control of the Lieutenant Governor. This centralized power casts a shadow over the purpose of the elections, as people question the extent of the Assembly’s power when major decisions continue to be made in New Delhi.
The announcement of polls without restoration of statehood made the electorate and leadership skeptical about the process. In her article “Polls in J&K: The Tussle for a Powerless Legislature begins”, Anuradha Bhasin, the executive editor of Kashmir Times wrote, “The regional political players, particularly the two main dynasties, are caught in the ‘to do or not to do’ bind. Having tasted the power of ruling full-fledged states, contesting for what appears to be a large municipal council christened as the legislature, their predicament is nothing short of a ‘dharam sankat’.
After the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganization of Jammu, valley, and Laddakh, the electorate succumbed to pragmatism. People are starting to believe the changes are irreversible and they have no option but to scramble for the symbolic crumbs that the legislature offers in its new silhouette. It was an act of retribution in the Kashmir Valley, where the sense of humiliation amid severe persecution and militarization, propelled people in droves to the polls for the most recent Lok Sabha elections. That can, nevertheless, serve as a driving force behind the assembly elections.
Elections or Military Exercise?
In a recent development, an additional 300 military companies were deployed to Jammu and Kashmir. Putting additional troops in an already heavily militarized region where the ratio of armed forces personnel to voters is 10:1, raises serious questions regarding the democratic process. The Centre has so far deployed an additional 298 companies of paramilitary troops for election duties in the Kashmir valley. According to Indian military officials, the companies have been deputed in Srinagar, Handwara, Ganderbal, Budgam, Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipora, Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama, Awantipora, and Kulgam. As many as 298 companies of paramilitary forces, including Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, Sahastra Seema Bal, and Indo-Tibetan Border Police, have been deployed to provide security for the assembly polls in the Kashmir valley, they added. But, it seems that in areas where the BJP is weak, democracy is held under gunpoint. Democracy, under the watchful eye of guns, became a paradox of freedom where choice is an illusion and fear reigns supreme. Starting from 1989’s rigged elections, the elections cum military exercise is not a new phenomenon for J&K. For the people of Kashmir, George Orwell’s chilling vision seems all too fitting: “If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face—forever.”
Yet, even within this climate of distrust, many Kashmiris believe that boycotting the elections may do more harm than good for them, casting a vote is not an endorsement of the system but a way to protect what little influence they still have, even within the limited scope of authority, local representatives could advocate for better services, protect cultural heritage, and push for policies that benefit the local population, the power of Assembly is confined, but having a voice, however small, is better than having none at all.
For real progress to be made, the Indian government must go beyond the superficial trappings of democracy and engage with the people of Jammu and Kashmir on their terms, by fulfilling their demands for self-determination, autonomy, and justice. Until these core issues are confronted, the elections in Kashmir will remain a mere performance, masking the underlying tensions that have yet to be resolved. In a land where democracy is overshadowed by force, what exists is not true democracy but a demockracy—a distorted version where the reality of control overshadows the semblance of choice.
Authors
Abdul Rehman, Research Officer at Center for International Strategic Studies AJK
Saba Ghulam Nabi,Research Officer at Center for International Strategic Studies AJK
