Finish delimitation by yr-end or hold elections: Bukhari
JAMMU: Calling the J&K bureaucracy ‘insensitive and unresponsive’ to the issues of the people, Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party president Syed Altaf Bukhari on Friday asked the Centre to either complete the delimitation exercise by the end of the year or hold assembly elections for 83 seats and nominate candidates for seven others to ‘restore democracy to the people of the Union territory, who have been under crackdown and lockdown since August 5 last year.”
He reiterated the party’s demand of restoring statehood to J&K saying, “It should be restored on the day it was snatched.”
Responding to a query, Bukhari said, “I don’t know when the administration will put forth maps and other information before the delimitation panel but Apni party does know about officers of the state election authorities who visit a particular party’s office. We also know what vehicles they use to travel to a particular party’s office and what they share. We demand that the Prime Minister conduct the entire delimitation exercise transparently and openly.”
He said, “Due to the pandemic, the itinerary of the delimitation panel was hampered. Therefore, authorities should issue a notification and hold elections for at least 83 assembly seats and make nominations for seven others. At least people will get democracy.”
“We want the delimitation exercise to be completed by the yearend and if it does not happen, then hold elections for 83 seats and make nomination for seven other seats that have to be increased after the delimitation exercise,” he said. “Notification for elections should be issued at the earliest and the process must be set into motion because Covid-19 may take years to disappear,” he added.