Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 10: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Anantnag Parliamentary by-poll, Tasaduq Hussain Mufti today appealed the Election Commission of India to postpone the election scheduled for April 12.
Tasaduq while addressing a press conference this morning at his residence in Srinagar said the atmosphere is not conducive for conducting by-poll in Anantnag Parliamentary constituency. “I appeal ECI to postpone the elections. There is no favourable atmosphere for the elections,” he said.
The PDP candidate said that the State Government has also communicated to the ECI to postpone the election.
PDP leader said that the situation is continuously changing and “we must make amendments accordingly.”
Asked whether he would withdraw from his candidature if the ECI does not defer the election, Tasaduq said: “What is the benefit of that if ECI does not agree to postpone. If by my withdrawing, the ECI postpones the elections, I can do that.”
On the boycott of yesterday’s by-poll in Srinagar Parliamentary constituencies, Tasaduq said that democracy has not functioned properly in Jammu and Kashmir.
“You cannot force people to vote or not to vote,” he said on the boycott of elections called by the Hurriyat.
In the meantime, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee candidate for Anantnag Parliamentary constituency, G A Mir, said that the demand of PDP contesting candidate to postpone the by-poll is “meaningless”.
“Postponement of by-poll is meaningless and does not convey any sense when so much preparation and machinery has been put into it,” Mir told reporters in Anantang.
“We had said it before the date for election was notified that atmosphere was not conducive in Kashmir. Encounters, protests and killing of civilians did not stop this year after the 2016 unrest. Keeping the worst situation in mind, we had demanded not to hold elections. But the State Government and ruling party was in a hurry, so they went ahead it,” Mir said.
“Now, when PDP is sensing an imminent defeat in Anantnag constituency after the killings in Budgam district, it’s candidate has come up with a meaningless demand,” the Congress candidate said.
Eight civilians were killed in security forces firing yesterday in Budgam and Ganderbal districts during protests against the election in Srinagar Parliamentary constituency. Following the killings, Hurriyat calls for two day shutdown in Kashmir and they had already called for shutdown on polling day on April 12 in Anantnag Parliamentary constituency.
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