Srinagar witnessed a political face-off between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the National Conference (NC), with both parties staging protests on Wednesday. The BJP demonstrated against the Omar Abdullah-led government, with party workers attempting to march from Lal Chowk towards the Civil Secretariat. The BJP raised concerns over unemployment, inflation and the functioning of the government.
In response, the National Conference also staged a protest against the BJP, demanding the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood. The party urged the Central Government to fulfil its commitment on restoring statehood. Security was heightened and barricades were put up across several parts of Srinagar in view of the protests.
Meanwhile, preparations for the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat elections are underway. The final electoral roll has been published, with around 72.24 lakh voters registered. However, the official election dates have not yet been announced. While reports had earlier suggested that the polls could be held in October-November 2026, no final schedule has been confirmed so far. The focus currently remains on completing the election preparations, with the State Election Commission expected to clarify the schedule in the coming days.
