# All Jammu and Kashmir Plebiscite Front

The All Jammu and Kashmir Plebiscite Front, or Plebiscite Front, was a political party in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir that called for a "popular plebiscite" to decide if the state should remain part of India, join Pakistan or become independent. The patron of the party was Sheikh Abdullah, the former Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and chief of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, even though he never formally joined it. The founder of the party was Mirza Afzal Beg.
Plebiscite Movement The Plebiscite Movement in Jammu and Kashmir, often referred to as the "Kashmir Plebiscite Movement," is a political movement and a historical context related to the ongoing dispute over the status of the region of J&K. It is closely tied to the unresolved issue of self-determination for the people of the region. The origin of the Plebiscite Movement in J&K can be traced back to the circumstances surrounding the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. At the time of partition, the princely state of J&K, like other princely states in British India, had the option to accede to either India or Pakistan. The region's leader, Maharaja Hari Singh, chose to accede to India, leading to tensions and a series of wars between India and Pakistan over the region. In 1948, the United Nations intervened, and a ceasefire agreement was reached, leading to the establishment of the Line of Control (LoC) that divided the region between India and Pakistan. The United Nations Security Council passed several resolutions calling for a plebiscite to be held in J&K to allow the people of the region to decide their own political future. These resolutions envisioned a vote in which the people of J&K could choose to accede to either India or Pakistan or opt for independence. The Plebiscite Movement in J&K is primarily associated with the idea that the people of the region should have the opportunity to express their will through a plebiscite as outlined in the UN resolutions. Proponents of the movement argue that the plebiscite is necessary to determine the region's political status, as they believe that the accession of J&K to India was not legitimate and that the people of the region should have the right to self-determination. However, the plebiscite has not been held to date, and the situation in J&K remains complex and contentious. The region is divided between the Union Territory of J&K (merged with India) and Azad J&K and Gilgit-Baltistan (Illegally occupied by Pakistan). The issue of J&K continues to be a major point of contention between India and Pakistan, and various parties within J&K have different views on the way forward. Some advocate for implementing the UN resolutions and holding a plebiscite, while others support varying degrees of autonomy or independence.

## Political stands

The Plebiscite Front became the principal opposition to the state government, headed by Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad (1953–63), Khwaja Shamsuddin (1963-64) and Ghulam Mohammed Sadiq (1964–71). The Front called for a plebiscite or referendum to be held under the auspices of the United Nations, to decide the issue of sovereignty over Jammu and Kashmir. Sheikh Abdullah's demand for a plebiscite led to the boycotting of state elections in the 1960s by large numbers of the state's population. However, this enabled easy election victories for the National Conference, which was supported by the Union government and remained in power for most of the decade.

## Indira-Sheikh accord

By 1972, the Plebiscite Front had come to the position that any plebiscite was not intended to contest Kashmir's accession to India. Afzal Beg stated that while a plebiscite would put Kashmir's accession into India on "a lasting foundation", his party was no longer insisting on holding a plebiscite. The Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi welcomed the Front's willingness to confirm Indian sovereignty and held talks with Sheikh Abdullah. The 1974 Indira-Sheikh accord confirmed the support of Sheikh Abdullah and the Plebiscite Front for Indian sovereignty over Kashmir and ended the demand for a plebiscite in return for extensive autonomy and self-government under Article 370 of the Constitution of India

## Dissolution

Following the agreement with the Union government, Sheikh Abdullah merged the Plebiscite Front into a renewed National Conference in 1975, which won the democratic elections and affirmed Abdullah as the new Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Mirza Afzal Beg became the Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.