News Edition 24 Desk:
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair an all-party meeting on Jammu and Kashmir on June 24 in New Delhi. Sources said that informal invites to major political leaders in J&K have also been sent.
It is the most significant step from the Centre to end the political impasse in J&K after the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the former state into two Union Territories.
Representatives of parties from both Kashmir and Jammu are expected to be at the meeting, which comes amid reports that the Centre may discuss the restoration of statehood and other important issues concerning J&K.
“An intimation has been sent to us. We don’t know exactly what it is about yet but will wait for a formal invitation and then take a call”, said a senior leader in J&K. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said she did “receive an informal invite and they were discussing it”. Top sources confirmed that the Central government has reached out to mainstream parties in the Valley for a meeting next week to discuss the delimitation exercise or the process of redrawing constituencies in the Union Territory.
This is ahead of the polls which could be scheduled in November or early next year. Sources said that as many as nine parties have been called, till Friday, but the list could include as many as 16 parties from both Jammu and Kashmir.