ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society feels profoundly indebted for the valuable contributions made by our friends, members, volunteers and staffers in making this election monitoring report possible. We would also like to thank the people of Kashmir who shared their opinions with us, which enabled us in articulating the elections and reasons for their participation and non participation. Interpreting Elections Independent Election Observer’s Team Report Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly Elections 2008 Published by : Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society The Bund, Amira Kadal, Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir - 190001 Tel# +91-194-2482820 E-mail :
[email protected] Webiste : www.jkccs.org Copies of report are available at: Jammu and Kashmir: Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society The Bund, Amira Kadal, Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir 190001 Tel# +91-194-2482820 Email:
[email protected] Europe: Marjan Lucas Senior Programme Officer on Kashmir PO Box 19318, 3501 DH Utrecht, The Netherlands Email:
[email protected] General office no + 31 30 2333346 cell + 31 6 48981484 (O) New Delhi: Gautam Navlakha Tel# +91-11-26276401 Email:
[email protected] United States Dr. Angana Chatterji 163 Liberty Street, San Francisco California 94110 4156480138 Email:
[email protected] Suggested Contribution: _____________________ CONTENTS 1 Acknowledgment 2 Introduction 1 3 Phase I report 12 4 Phase II report 19 5 Phase III report 23 6 Phase IV report 27 7 Phase V report 30 8 Phase VI report 33 9 Phase VII report 35 10 Survey report 39 11 Conclusion 58 12 Annexure 59 Jammu Kashmir State Assembly Elections 2008: Survey and Observations Historical Backdrop Jammu and Kashmir came under military occupation in October 1947.