Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, May 21: The Election Commission of India (ECI) today announced by-election to prestigious Anantnag Assembly constituency on June 19, about a fortnight before the deadline of July 7 and nearly 10 days before start of annual Shri Amarnath ji pilgrimage on July 2.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shantmanu told the Excelsior that the Election Commission after deferring the election on April 20 taking in view the security reasons put forth by the State administration, today announced holding of the by-election to 40-Anantnag Assembly constituency on June 19. Previously, the by-poll was scheduled to be held on May 16.
“With the announcement of election, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) of the Election Commission has come into force in the entire Anantnag district,’’ he said.
Shantmanu said a notification for by-election to Anantnag Assembly seat will be issued on May 25 while the candidates can file their nomination papers till June 1. Scrutiny of documents will take place on June 2 while June 4 is last date for withdrawal of nomination papers by the candidates.
Polling will take place on June 19 and counting on June 22. Entire election process has to be completed before June 24.
Sources said the Election Commission of India’s top officers had spoken to two officers of Jammu and Kashmir including Chief Secretary BR Sharma and Director General of Police (DGP) K Rajendra Kumar before announcing fresh schedule of by-election to Anantnag Assembly seat, which had fallen vacant on January 7 due to the death of then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
The Election Commission had on April 18 announced by-poll for Anantnag Assembly seat on May 16. However, the Chief Secretary and the DGP had rushed to New Delhi on April 20, two days before notification was scheduled to be issued for the by-poll and met the Election Commissioners seeking postponement of the polls citing disturbances in Handwara and Kupwara, where five youths were killed in the firing. The Election Commission had agreed to defer the election.
Official sources said the electoral rolls, which had been revised with reference to 1.1.2016 as the qualifying date and finally published on 11.1.2016, will be used for the Anantnag election by-poll.
They said the Model Code of Conduct has come into force today i.e. with the announcement of election in entire Anantnag district and will remain in force till the counting was over.
The deadline for holding by-poll to Anantnag Assembly seat was July 7 as Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had passed away on January 7 and the seat had been declared vacant the same day. As per the procedure, the seat had to be filled within six months i.e. July 7.
The State Election Department wanted the election to be held before June 15 or 20 to give sufficient time to the State Government for deployment of para-military forces and police in Anantnag district for annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath ji, which is starting on July 2 this year. Pahalgam in Anantnag district serves as base camp for the holy pilgrimage.
Congress has already announced that it would contest Anantnag by-election on its own by repeating its last time candidate Hillal Ahmad Shah. Shah, who had contested 2014 Assembly polls from Anantnag, has been repeated by the party once again.
After Dr Mehboob Beg had joined the PDP before elections, NC had fielded Iftikhar Hussain Misger from Anantnag in 2014. However, PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had won the election comfortably from Anantnag. Having served as Chief Minister of J&K heading PDP-BJP coalition for about 10 months, he had died on January 7, necessitating the by-poll.
June 19 by-poll to Anantnag will be held during budget session of the Legislature, which is starting on May 25 and will last till June 30.
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