According to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the administration is unable to set a deadline for the removal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the area. Recently, Rajnath Singh, the defence minister, said on Monday that Jammu and Kashmir’s democratic process would soon begin. He did not, however, give a timetable for the change, according to news source PTI. A senior member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) added that the administration was unable to set a deadline for the removal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the area.

In an interview with PTI, the Union Defence Minister discussed the date of the Union Territory’s assembly elections. “With the abrogation of Article 370 (of the Constitution), our aim is to restore normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir as swiftly as possible. We are committed to commencing the democratic process in the region at the earliest, thus fulfilling the long-standing aspirations of its people.”

When asked if restoring the parliamentary establishment (holding elections) will improve or exacerbate the security situation, he stated he couldn’t give a clear time frame for holding Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. However, he expressed his belief that the procedure wouldn’t be excessively slowed. “I cannot provide a specific time frame, but I assure you that it will not be a lengthy process. That is what I can confidently say,” Rajnath Singh was quoted in the PTI story.