“Elections should be free and fair…should not favour any political party”: J&K Opposition parties

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 16 (ANI): Following the announcement of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election schedule, Jammu and Kashmir opposition leaders of the PDP and National Conference welcomed the Election Commission’s decision and hoped that the assembly polls would be conducted in a “free and fair” manner.

PDP leader Iltija Mufti, addressing a press conference, said that elections should be held freely, fair, and in a transparent manner.

“Our concern is that elections should be conducted free, fair and transparent. Just before the announcement of the election date around 150-200 transfers happened abruptly and arbitrarily by the LG government. LG administration’s behaviour here is full of prejudice, it’s full of bias and they favour the BJP. You all know how hostile they have been with the other parties here…DG was issuing political statements that are not in his jurisdiction…The election should be free and fair and should not favour any political party- BJP in this case,” Mufti said.

“India is the world’s largest democracy and elections have not been held here for six years…We welcome this move but this should have happened six years ago. On one side, you say everything is normal and if everything was normal why did they have to investigate and then announce the dates? Of course, we welcome this move because people’s issues will be solved and they will be given redressal,” the PDP leader said.

When asked if Mehbooba Mufti would contest in elections, Iltija said, “This is a question that Mehbooba Mufti can answer. But she had said earlier as well that she is not planning to fight.”

PDP leader Mohammad Iqbal Trumboo said that they are happy that ECI has abided by the deadline given by the Supreme Court.

“This is a welcome announcement that elections will be held in J&K after 10 years. We are happy that ECI has abided by the deadline given by the Supreme Court. We are ready for election in every way. There should be vote against the decision to take away our special status, constitution and flag. People should express their resentment through their votes,” Trumboo said.

CPI-M leader Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami said that the people of the Union Territory are happy.

“Now that elections have been announced, we welcome it. They (Election Commission) also assured us of a level playing field and expressed satisfaction over the security situation. All parties including us believed that a vacuum was created in J&K due to no elections for the last 10 years…With the announcement of elections, now there is new hope building in people,” Tarigami said.

Chairman of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party, Ghulam Nabi Azad, thanked the government and the Election Commission for announcing the dates of the elections in J-K.

“We welcome the announcement of elections. I thank the government and the Election Commission. We hope it will be a free and fair election. We also hope the security of voters, candidates and party leaders will be taken care of…Right now what is important is that people are getting a chance to elect their representative after nearly 10 years,” Azad said.

National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah appealed to the Election Commission to give level playing fields.

“I appeal to ECI to give level playing fields…Especially the officers who were changed. The ECI should look into this matter and on what basis were they transferred. We want statehood, not only NC but all the parties of J-K want it. It is the Government of India’s promise that there will be complete statehood,” Abdullah said.

National Conference (NC) leader and ex-MLA Rajpora Gh Mohiuddin Mir congratulated the Election Commission for announcing the election schedule.

“I congratulate the Election Commission for announcing the election schedule… Now we will get relief from bureaucratic rule and people’s government will be established here,” Mir said.

In a post on X, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah posted a picture of his inked finger and said that the party is ready for the Assembly elections.

“The indelible ink mark from the recent elections hasn’t gone and we are back in election mode. Bring it on! We are ready!” Omar Abdullah posted on X.

Omar Abdullah asserted that his party is ready for the polls and campaigning will begin soon.

“Der aaye durust aaye. The Election Commission has announced the dates of the elections in three phases. The schedule will be over in a short time. After 1987-1988, this is the first time when the elections in J&K are being conducted in such a small number of phases. The National Conference was ready for this day. We will begin our election campaign soon,” Abdullah said.

Omar Abdullah called on the Election Commission to take notice of concerns over the reshuffle of senior police officers and chiefs before polling.

“We are writing to the Election Commission of India that they should investigate the transfers that happened in J&K in the last 24 hours. Several officers were transferred suddenly, we doubt these transfers have been made to benefit the B and C teams of the BJP by the LG, which has been put here by the BJP. In the last 1-2 years, the security of some leaders has been reduced and withdrawn. We request the ECI to give orders and ensure that their security is restored,” he added.

The Assembly elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases from September 18 and the results will be announced on October 4.

Addressing a press conference in the national capital, Rajiv Kumar said that the assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases.

The elections of first phase will be held on September 18, second phase will be held on September 25 and third phase will be held on October 1. The counting of the votes will be held on October 4.

“Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases, with voting on September 18th, September 25th, and October 1st. Counting of votes on October 4,” Kumar said.

The dates to file the nominations for the first phase will be on August 27, nominations for the second phase will be on September 5, and September 12 is the last day to file nominations for the third phase.

There are a total of 90 assembly constituencies, of which 74 are General, nine are ST and seven are SC.

In Jammu and Kashmir, there are 87.09 lakh total electors. Of which 44.46 lakh are male, 42.62 female, 169 are Transgender, 82,590 PwDs, 73943 very senior citizens, 2660 centenarians, 76092 service electors, and 3.71 lakh are first-time voters.

Jammu and Kashmir will witness elections after a gap of ten years as the last assembly election was held in 2014. The PDP-BJP coalition government fell in June 2018 when the latter withdrew support to the then-Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti.