Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a promise to restore the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir during his first election rally in the disputed territory. This comes after the region lost its autonomy and was downgraded to a federally ruled territory in 2019. Modi criticized the major political parties in the region, accusing them of fueling hatred and not fulfilling the needs of the people.
The recent local assembly elections have seen a high voter turnout, with many expressing their anger towards India’s decision in 2019 through their vote. Residents like Shakeel Ahmad from Shopian district hope that electing their own representatives will address the issues faced since the region came under federal rule. Previously, from 2018 to August 2019, Jammu and Kashmir was ruled directly by New Delhi through a governor, and later became a federally ruled territory under a lieutenant governor with increased powers.