Encouraging turnout

Sir,

The just concluded election to the State Legislative Assembly has thrown up a big issue, whether the election was free, fair and real. People of the State have delivered the verdict. National Conference holding power for last 55 years has been voted out of power. Election has come off despite blatant and open threat from the sponsored terrorists. Election was conducted even in the conditions of threat, intimidation and violence in the face of most vicious campaign lodged by militants.

Despite great publicity by the Election Commission that it is confident to carry out free and fair election process in Jammu and Kashmir State, the reality is far from its claims. The overall percentage of voters was only 46, meaning thereby that 54 percent of the State's population stayed away from exercising their franchise.

Many reasons can be propounded for it. Firstly many voters were not allowed to cast their votes, even though they had the identity cards, but their names were not in the election list. Secondly, no voter list was given to many families who just happened to migrate from one place to another in the State due to threat of terrorism. Thirdly, the fear of gun loomed so large that many people did not take part in the elections. Fourthly many people were so frightened that they did not came out to cast their ballot. Fifthly a major number of Kashmiri Pandit migrants refused to participate in the elections considering if of no use for improving their lot. At many places or say at every place turn out was low; at Sopore it was only 8 percent.

So there is general idea of many people that the J&K elections was not free, fair and real. It was not free for fear of militants and there was no absolute security to leave the house to polling booths. Militants were there to eliminate both the voter and the candidates. It was not fair as many voters were deprived of casting their votes due to :-

(i) No name of in the Election list and

(ii) Now receipt of voter list and it was not a real election due to low turn out. It did not give a true picture of the people's trend nor did it show the real strength of the parties as no party got the sufficient majority of form the Government. Because of low turn out, parties got low votes.

Taking all these points in view Election cannot be called free, fair and real. But it cannot be called a farce, as per the military ruler of Pakistan, Gen. Parvez Musharraf, as it was well set democratic election, sending a firm message to the whole world that democracy thrives in Jammu and Kashmir, but because of the threat of the terrorists the turn out was low. Even then the turn out has been commendable in the face of terrorists attacks orchestrated from across our borders. So let us be satisfied with the election process.

Yours etc...
M M Dhar
Gandhi Nagar Jammu.

Respect verdict

Sir,

People of the State are impatiently waiting for Government formation. But controversy over Chief Ministership between Congress and PDP led to impasse and deadlock in Government formation. It is indeed a sad and disturbing development as the efforts to form a coalition went into rough weather with the rigid stands taken by both Congress and PDP over leading the coalition. Such impasse and delay was caused due to selfish narrow, non serious and irresponsible attitude of the main contenders for power i.e Congress and PDP. Thus the political parleys for coalition Government are in stalemate due to the precedence of non issues like Chief Ministership over the real issues. Both Congress and PDP want the top slot of Chief Ministership for their parties, thus obstructing Government formation. The Congress legislature party has appointed party President Gulam Nabi Azad as its leader and all speculations about a common leader of Congress and PDP almost failed as of now. Even the common minimum programme of Governance is not in sight which should be the base line of alliance between Congress and PDP. Instead of common agenda for governance, the Chief Minister's post has become a stumbling block for providing a Government to the masses and the former is unfortunately thought as subservient to the latter. Whatever is it the claim of Congress for Chief Ministership seems genuine given its number of legislators as compared to that of PDP. Then a new dimension altogether unnecessary has been added by the adamant stand of Mufti Mohd Sayeed's stand of having a Kashmiri Chief Minister and giving PDP a chance to lead the alliance Government. PDP Chief contends that his party being a regional one is better than the national party to govern the affairs of the State and to address the issues confronting the people who have reposed that trust in them.

The JKNPP Chief Bhim Singh favours a Jammuite Chief Minister and has pledged his support to Congress if a Chief Minister from Jammu is appointed. The Supremo of JKNPP cannot be faulted for advocating the Chief Ministership for Jammu. Isn't it regionalism through and through. All this boils down to Jammu V/s Kashmiri and it is very sad commentry on the political development of this sensitive State. But then there is no harm in having a Jammu Chief Minister as all Chief Ministers right from the days of popular rule have been from Kashmir. So if a welcome departure is made from the convention and precedence of having Chief Minister from Kashmir, it should not snow ball into a major controversy.

Peoples verdict for change and for an alternative non NC Government should not be defeated. The decision of the electorate should be respected by one and all but the political formations who have won have an important responsibility of providing a Government to the people at the earliest possible. Thus Congress and PDP should sink their differences and should shun their rigid and hard stances about Chief Ministership and thus facilitate Government formation in accordance with the verdict and mandate of the electorate.

Yours etc...
Omkar Dattatray
Talab Tillo, Jammu.