Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said his government will work with all sections of the population for restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir “at an early opportunity”

A 24-member delegation of the newly formed Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party, led by its leader Altaf Bukhari, called on the Prime Minister athis residence Saturday evening and Modi engaged with them on various issueslike concerns on demographic changes, the delimitation exercise and grant of statedomicile, officials said.

“Referring to his statement in Parliament, the PrimeMinister underlined that the government will work with all sections of thepopulation to realize the hopes of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir at an earlyopportunity,” an official statement said.

During an interactive session with the delegation, the PrimeMinister also called for ‘Janbhagidari’ (people’s participation) intransforming Jammu and Kashmir and emphasised on the importance of anadministration that gives voice to the people.

Modi also noted that democracy in the region could bestrengthened through a fast-moving process of political integration, it said.