Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Oct 9: The ruling National Conference today called for delaying the Assembly elections in the State while main opposition party, People’s Democratic Party (PDP), told the Election Commission of India to hold them as per schedule.
The NC told Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi that time is not conducive for holding elections in view of the devastation caused by the floods in the State.
“Time is not ripe for holding elections as the atmosphere is not congenial due to devastation caused by floods and the trauma and shock people are in.” a three-member National Conference delegation led by party General Secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar told Zutshi.
“The NC has always upheld the democratic process in the State, it strongly feels that instead of elections, the priority should be relief, rehabilitation and welfare of the people”, Sagar to the ECI.
Justifying their stand of postponing the elections, the NC gave detailed account about the widespread destruction caused by last month’s floods to all sectors in almost all constituencies in the Valley and few constituencies in Jammu region.
Sagar told the ECI that his party wants a democratically elected Government but in view of the situation, focus has to be on relief and rehabilitation of the flood-hit areas.
The PDP on the other hand called for holding the polls in lesser phases than earlier. Naeem Akhtar told the ECI that the Jammu and Kashmir is a sensitive State and elections be held on time: “J&K is a sensitive State, the elections should be held as per schedule,” he told ECI.
PDP told the ECI that elections in the State are keenly watched and delaying the polls could send a wrong signal. “There are concerns that holding elections can affect the relief and rehabilitation process of the flood victims in the State. We suggested that a team of Central and State Government officers can be appointed to look after this aspect during the model code of conduct,” he told ECI.
The PDP leader, Dilawar Mir told ECI to shorten the election process in the State by conducting it in lesser phases than done in earlier elections in the State. “To begin with, the elections could be held in areas which will be snowbound very soon,” he told ECI.
The PDP delegation told the ECI that holding elections in time had become imperative in view of the colossal failure of the State Government in preventing the floods and providing succour to the victims in its aftermath.
A Communist Party of India, CPI(M), delegation told the ECI to take its own decision after consulting all the political parties and assessing the aftermath flood situation.
The CPI(M) later told reporters that the democratic process in the State should continue but the Centre and the State Governments should not loose focus from providing relief and rehabilitating to the flood victims.
CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury told reporters: “The primary focus should be on providing immediate relief to the flood victims so that they can survive the coming winter and also taking measures for their permanent rehabilitation so that they can move on with their lives.”
The CPI(M) leader said that the democratic process should continue. “How and when? The election commission in consultation with the political parties in the State will decide. I believe that this process is going on but it should not detract from providing relief to the flood victims,” he said.
Earlier, Deputy ECI held meetings with Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khandey and Director General of Police K Rajendra Kumar to assess the situation in the State. He also interacted with the Deputy Commissioners of various districts of the State through video conferencing.
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