Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 10: The Election Commission of India (ECI) tonight deferred by-poll to Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, scheduled to be held on April 12, to May 25 after receiving a report from the State administration of Jammu and Kashmir that situation was not conducive for holding the free and fair poll in the constituency on Wednesday and there were apprehensions of violence during the voting, like yesterday when Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency went to votes.
However, the Election Commission has upheld the voting in Srinagar Lok Sabha seat on April 9 deciding not to cancel it but would order re-poll in about 40-odd polling stations, where Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were damaged and negligible voting was held due to violence. The Commission has observed that low turnout was no reason for cancelling the election. After re-polling in some booths, result of Srinagar Parliamentary constituency was likely to be declared as per schedule on April 15.
“The State administration, in its report sent today, has expressed apprehension that there may be violent attempts by some miscreant elements to thwart the polling process in Anantnag Lok Sabha seat in view of the violent incidents that have taken place in some parts of Srinagar seat yesterday that resulted into some casualties.
“The State administration has, in its report, further recommended that the voting scheduled to be held on April 12 in Anantnag Lok Sabha seat should be deferred for the time being,’’ a Notification issued today by the Election Commission of India’s Principal Secretary Standhope Yuhlung, said.
Deferring the Anantnag by-poll, the Commission quoted the State administration’s report which said that situation was not conducive for holding free and fair election in the Parliamentary constituency on April 12.
“The Election Commission having considered report of the State administration and also taking into account inputs received by it from various sources including the report from the Chief Electoral Officer of the State (Shantmanu), Divisional Commissioner of South Kashmir, Returning Officer of Anantnag seat and other concerned Election Authorities, has decided that Anantnag by-poll should be deferred for the time being,’’ the Notification said.
It added that the by-poll will now be held on May 25 by when the Commission expects law and order situation in the constituency to improve and become conducive for holding free and fair election. The entire election process for Anantnag by-poll will now be completed on June 1.
Referring to the development, National Conference working president and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted: “I have to ask the Election Commission, Central Government and State Government what miracle are they expecting will happen between now and May 25th to allow smooth election’’?
Earlier in the day, the Election Commission obtained a comprehensive report from top brass of civil and police administration of Jammu and Kashmir and the Commission’s State representative, Shantmanu, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), on large-scale violence during yesterday’s by-poll for Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency that took eight lives and left over 200 injured and preparations for Anantnag Lok Sabha seat.
Official sources said the Election Commission reviewed Srinagar Lok Sabha poll and Anantnag Lok Sabha seat arrangements through video conferencing with Chief Secretary BR Sharma, Home Secretary RK Goyal, Director General of Police (DGP) Dr Shesh Pal Vaid and CEO Shantmanu this afternoon.
Sources said the civil and police administration and the Election Commission’s representative submitted comprehensive report to the Election Commission of India on yesterday’s lowest ever 7.14 per cent turnout for Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, which was marred by large scale violence leading to eight deaths and leaving over 200 others injured. They also briefed the Commission on possibility of violence during Anantnag by-poll, if held on April 12.
According to sources, the Commission was visibly upset over lowest ever turnout of 7.14 per cent in Srinagar Lok Sabha seat and large-scale violence that erupted on the day of polling despite deployment of 200 additional companies of para-military forces in the poll-bound areas.
Shantmanu also convened an All Party Meeting in Srinagar, the summer capital of the State, this evening in which National Conference and Congress members opposed postponement of Anantnag election, scheduled for Wednesday while the PDP wanted it to be deferred. NC and Congress called for re-poll in some booths of Srinagar, where EVMs were damaged or polling couldn’t be held.
Sources said the BJP State unit had been asked by the party high command to seek cancellation of Srinagar election and postponement of Anantnag by-poll but the party’s two representatives in the All Party Meeting—Asif Masoodi and Mohammad Ashraf Rishi were unable to make the things clear.
The All Party Meeting saw heated exchanges between NC leader and former Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone and BJP leader, Asif Masoodi.
Akbar Lone objected to the BJP leaders trying to give directions in the meeting saying the State can’t be dictated by Ram Madhav, a reference to BJP’s national general secretary, Incharge Jammu and Kashmir Affairs. The BJP leaders objected to it, leading to heated arguments, which were settled with intervention of other leaders and officials.
Akbar Lone told the Excelsior that the BJP leaders were trying to dictate terms in the meeting, which was objected by him.
BJP insiders said there has been complete lack of coordination among the BJP leaders, some of whom have developed tendency to bypass State party leaders by taking directions from a national leader, who has no stakes in Jammu and Kashmir and was responsible for present mess in the party.
“It was due to complete lack of coordination that the BJP was unable to explain its stand at the All Party Meeting,’’ they added.
Akbar Lone also entered into a verbal dual with PDP leader Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra in the meeting and accused PDP of blatantly lying to the people of the State.
“Before claiming credit here to hold elections, they should have consulted their masters in Delhi. We had objected to holding of elections but she (Mehbooba) had claimed that the situation was right,” Lone said.
Later, National Conference complained to the Election Commission about the presence of Parra at the meeting as he was a Government servant.
Parra said he represented the youth wing of the PDP and added that he was a member secretary of Jammu and Kashmir State Sports Council from where he was getting an honorarium.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s brother Tasaduq Mufti was involved in direct contest with PCC (I) chief GA Mir, supported by National Conference, in Anantnag Lok Sabha seat though there were some other candidates too in the fray.
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