A special revision of the electoral lists will permit non-locals to sign up as voters in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time after the Centre discontinued valley’s special status under Article 370 in 2019, amending the constitution to let non-Kashmiris to vote and buy land there.
(File Photo: IANS)
Jammu and Kashmir is set to get 25 lakh new voters after Centre’s revision that will let non-locals to roll as voters in the Union territory. Former Chief Ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah have condemned the move, calling it as a “dangerous attempt” to alter elections.
It has been more than four months that the valley has been without an electoral government. Elections are anticipated to be held next year.
A special revision of the electoral list will permit non-locals to sign up as voters in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time after the Centre discontinued valley’s special status under Article 370 in 2019, amending the constitution to let non-Kashmiris to vote and buy land there.
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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer Hirdesh Kumar on Wednesday told media that more than 20 lakh new voters are foreseen to be registered in the UT ahead of polls. This could boost the voter count by more than a third, expanding to the existing 76 lakh voters in the region.
Mr Kumar said,”We are expecting an addition of (20-25 lakh) new voters in the final list”.
Meanwhile, there has been extreme criticism from the main political parties in Jammu and Kashmir over the step by centre.
National Conference leader and former Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, said the decision is a result of steps born out of BJP’s “insecurity” about support in the region.
“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,” tweeted Abdullah.
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. https://t.co/ZayxjHiaQy
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) August 17, 2022
Another former Chief Minister and PDP leader, Mehbooba Mufti,tweeted sayng the BJP aimed to influence election results.
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. https://t.co/zHzqaMseG6
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 17, 2022
Talking to the media , she criticized the step named Nazi Germany and Palestine while calling out the BJP’s policies in Jammu and Kashmir.
“As long as there is even one Kashmiri standing, we will prevail. The BJP’s evil designs are radicalising the youth in J&K. The Centre is spending crores on de-radicalisation, but it is their policies here that are radicalising the youth. They have snatched the youth’s resources, jobs, freedom… All they had was their votes and that’s been snatched from them as well,” she told the media.
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