Jammu:

A brief gunfight took place between the security forces and terrorists in a forest area in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, officials said.

A police spokesperson said the exchange of fire between the two sides took place in the Desa forest area.

Further details are awaited, the spokesperson said in a statement tonight.

However, security sources said a brief encounter took place when the troops of Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operations Group of J&K Police launched a cordon and search operation at Dhari Gote Urarbagi in Bhagwah forest area around 7.45 pm.

The operation was launched on a reliable input about the presence of terrorists, sources said, adding reinforcements have been rushed to the area to strengthen the cordon.

The firing lasted for a brief period, the sources said, adding the search of the area was suspended for the night and will be resumed in the early morning hours on Tuesday.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Srinagar:

The National Conference, the Peoples Democratic Party, the Congress, and Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Democratic Progressive Azad Party have called for simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, which is under President’s Rule and has not had a state poll for six years now.

This comes amid reports the Election Commission of India – a poll panel team began its two-day visit Monday to review prep work before announcing dates – is considering such a move.

The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, and that of Ladakh, will hold a general election for its six Lok Sabha seats in April/May and is expected to hold Assembly polls – the first step in restoration of statehood – by September 30, as ordered by the Supreme Court.

READ | In Historic J&K Ruling, Supreme Court Sets Election Deadline

Senior NC leader Nasir Sogami and former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad – part of the ‘One Nation, One Election’ commission set up by the government to explore that possibility – have spoken out, with the latter claiming “people are more concerned about Assembly polls”.

“I am in favour of simultaneous elections in J&K .I want elections by midnight. The people of J&K are more concerned about assembly elections than parliament elections,” Mr Azad said.

Mr Azad is likely to contest the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat, which is currently held by Hasnain Masoodi of the National Conference. The seat has traditionally flipped between the Peoples Democratic Party of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and the NC.

“I’m not ruling out contesting from Anantnag-Rajouri parliament constituency. Lots of people are asking me to contest. Demand of my being in Parliament is more,” he told NDTV.

Mr Sogami – who spoke to NDTV after the NC met a team from the Election Commission of India – said the NC had also demanded simultaneous elections in the union territory.

“This (simultaneous polls) is also in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of ‘One Nation, One Election’,” he said, adding the NC had also said state polls are long overdue.

The National Conference also demanded a level playing field for both polls.

On Monday the poll panel team, led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, met representatives from political parties. The ECI has already met Union Home Ministry officials.

The centre has already sanctioned the deployment of 600 paramilitary companies to ensure the safe conduct of elections in J&K; this is in addition to sizeable existing security set-ups.

A BJP delegation also met the poll panel team, and said the party is ready for Assembly polls. However, the party left announcement of dates to the discretion of the Election Commission.

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Srinagar:

The National Conference on Friday said it would not agree a seat-share deal with the Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the Lok Sabha election in Jammu and Kashmir, a development that comes as setback for the opposition INDIA bloc. NC leader Omar Abdullah’s swipe at the PDP underlined the rift between the two regional parties, each of which has declared it will contest the poll on its own.

“I have told you… the party that is No. 3 has no right to ask for a seat. If I had been told, before joining INDIA, we would have to weaken ourselves for another member, I would have never joined,” Mr Abdullah said.

This was after PDP boss Mehbooba Mufti said her party too is planning to fight this election on its own. She said the PDP would decide candidates for J&K’s five seats and the one in Ladakh.

READ | Another INDIA Setback As PDP Preps For “Own Fight” In Polls

“Since they (the National Conference) have already taken a decision… we will discuss it. There will be deliberations and a future course of action will be decided (soon),” the PDP’s Suhail Bukhari said.

That comment, in turn, was after one by Farooq Abdullah – Mr Abdullah’s father.

READ | Farooq Abdullah’s Party To Fight Alone In J&K In Setback For INDIA

“As far as seat sharing is concerned, I want to make it clear NC will contest elections on its own. There should be no questions on this…” he had said last month. Hours later Omar Abdullah attempted damage control, stating (with his father by his side) the NC “is still” part of INDIA.

READ | After Farooq Abdullah’s Comment On INDIA, Son Omar Clarifies

Farooq Abdullah’s comment was seen as the former Chief Minister expressing concern over the stalemate between his party, the PDP, and the Congress in reaching a seat-share agreement.

As this back-and-forth continued, Omar Abdullah also made it clear there was no scenario in which the National Conference would ally with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

“Let me make it clear… there is no window, or even a crack, open for the NDA… there is no possibility of us joining them,” he said in response to speculation the NC would quit INDIA.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP and Mr Abdullah’s NC split the six seats, with the former winning Ladakh, Udhampur, and Jammu, and the latter claiming Baramulla, Srinagar (where Mr Modi on Thursday held a massive rally), and Anantnag.

The PDP contested all six but failed to win any, and went home with an overall vote share of less than four per cent. The NC secured a vote share of just under eight per cent. The Congress, which also failed to win any seats, picked up around 28 per cent of the votes.

Talks for the 2024 election have reportedly stalled over the PDP’s demand for the Anantnag seat, which is currently held by the NC but was won by Ms Mufti in 2004 and 2014. It was also won by Ms Mufti’s father, ex-Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, in 1998; he was then with the Congress.

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