Srinagar, Oct 13 (KNS): Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, on Friday said that he never made a statement suggesting that 80 percent of the people in the region don't want elections, having only learned of such claims through a media report.

In response to a question from reporter at Jammu, the LG clarified that he had never personally made any statement suggesting that 80 percent of the population in the region doesn't want elections, noting that he became aware of this claim through a media report, as the National Conference had attributed this statement to him. "I have actively participated in elections before, and I intend to continue doing so in the future," he added.

On 28 September, National Conference Vice-President and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated that every political party and citizen desires elections in J&K. The sole dissenter in this regard, he noted, is the Lieutenant Governor who opposes the holding of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

Noteworthy, J&K has been without an elected government for the past five years, leading to strong criticism from the mainstream National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party regarding the prolonged delay in reinstating democracy in the Union Territory.(KNS).