NC wants polls to be postponed on humanitarian grounds
SRINAGAR: While almost all mainstream political parties in unison raised pitch for polls on due date during meeting with the Election Commission of India (ECI) here, it was only ruling National Conference that stressed that elections must be postponed for now.
Full ECI team Saturday arrived here to take stock of the post flood situation and holding of assembly polls. The team also held meetings with various mainstream parties here to know their views over the scheduled date of elections.
The ruling NC team comprising of its general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar, provincial presidents Davinder Singh Rana and Nasir Aslam Wani while meeting the ECI team here, maintained that the ground situation was not conducive for elections in the state due to the large scale damage caused to the public property by floods.
The NC team also apprised the ECI that the valley would witness low poll percentage as the people this time are not mentally prepared to vote. The NC leadership also observed that priority must be given to the relief measures as the need of the hour is to initiate the rehabilitation of the flood torn areas of the state, they said.
Quoting Sagar KNS reported that there must be no political purpose behind delaying the polls and the decision should be made on humanitarian grounds. He reiterated that when the police claims to be ready for providing security during polls, it must be asked that how can the relief measures be carried out when the entire civil as well as the police would be busy with the election process.
The three member opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) team comprising of Naeem Akhtar, Haseeb Drabu and Mohammad Dilwar Mir apprised the Commission about the ground situation. Akhtar later said that the party stressed for the polls on due date while emphasizing apolitical approach for the relief and rehabilitation measures.
He alleged that the parties who advocate for delaying the elections, actually want more time to lure voters and carry forward the back door appointments and transfers. They are using this time to fill their own coffers. No measure is being taken for the rehabilitation process of the flood ravaged state, Akhtar claimed.
The state Congress also stressed for the holding polls on scheduled date while meeting the ECI team in Srinagar. The state Congress delegation that met the ECI team included G.A. Mir, Ghulam Nabi Monga and Khemlata Wakhlu. The Congress leaders while stressing for the polls on due date, observed that the party is not in favor of the imposition of governors rule and that the election process must be completed till December 15 so that the new democratically elected government could prioritize the relief and rehabilitation operations in the state.
BJP also suggested for polls to be held on due date. The party claimed that whenever the elections are announced in J&K, it is ready for the contest. BJP leaders including Bali Baghat, G.M. Mir and Rajendra Sharma stated that while meeting the ECI team, BJP put forth its suggestion of holding of the elections in the state on due date.
CPI (M) state secretary M Y Tarigami said that he apprised the ECI team about the ground realties in the state post floods. I told the ECI team that best way to rehabilitate flood victims is to have an elected government and holding of election on due date is in the best interests of people, he said.
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