Srinagar, Aug 17(KNS): As the Chief Electoral Officer of J&K Hardesh Kumar allows voter rights in J&K for every citizen of the country posted or working in the UT, the political parties have expressed their strong displeasure over the move.
Reacting to the statement of Chief Electoral Officer of J&K that every citizen of the country staying in J&K can have voting rights in Assembly elections, J&K Peoples Conference President Sajad Gani Lone today said that such a step would be a replay of 1987.
Taking to micro blogging platform Twitter, Sajad Lone said, “This is dangerous. I don’t know what they want to achieve. This is much more than a mischief. Democracy is a relic especially in the context of Kashmir. Please remember 1987. We are yet to come out of that. Don’t replay 1987. It will be as disastrous.
"GOIs decision to defer polls in J&K preceded by egregious gerrymandering tilting the balance in BJPs favour & now allowing non locals to vote is obviously to influence election results. Real aim is to continue ruling J&K with an iron fist to disempower locals," PDP Chief Mehbooba mufti said.
"Is the BJP so insecure about support from genuine voters of J&K that it needs to import temporary voters to win seats? None of these things will help the BJP when the people of J&K are given a chance to exercise their franchise," says Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
"I express my serious concern over the Government of India's move to influence EC to allow non- locals to vote in J&K. Politically motivated step, disappointing, very unfortunate, should not happen. GOI should respect the emotions of JK People rather than disempowering them politically. I would suggest GOI to desist from doing such undemocratic exercises," said senior congress leader G. A. Mir.
"What CEO has said amounts to disenfranchising the people of Jammu and Kashmir further. The delimitation process through reorganisation act was an attempt to change the electoral demography of the region. In the absence of any representative government in J&K the union government has been exercising undiluted control in the region through a bureaucratic structure since June 2018. Today’s statement of CEO is a brazen assault on the legitimate aspirations of the people," said CPIM Leader & PAGD Spokesman Mohammad Yousuf Taragami.
Earlier, Chief Electoral Officer of J&K Hirdesh Kumar today said after abrogation of Article370 every citizen of the country staying ordinarily in J&K, for labour work, education, business purpose, can register as a voter in J&K and cast vote in the next assembly elections. (KNS)