Over 16,000 troops deployed for Amarnath Yatra to stay back

SRINAGAR : More than 16,000 central forces personnel who were in Kashmir for the Amarnath Yatra duty have been retained and deployed in different districts for the urban local body and panchayat elections for security purposes. Panchayat and urban local body polls will be held in Jammu and Kashmir from September to December in a phased manner. The last panchayat elections were held in the state in 2011 and local body elections could not be held from over a decade.

The ministry of home affairs (MHA) has dispatched 203 companies of central forces comprising of the CRPF, BSF, ITBP and SSB from other states for the yatra duty. One of the officials said instead of sending these companies back, the forces personnel have been kept at the disposal of the district SSP who have been asked to use their services during polls.

As per the official communiqué of Jammu and Kashmir police, the highest 28 companies will be deployed in Srinagar district, while 40 will be stationed in Budgam and Anantnag districts and 57 companies will be kept in Ganderbal, Bandsipore and Baramulla districts. Rest of the companies will be placed at other districts of the Valley. One of the officials said elections to urban local bodies will take place from September to October and the panchayat polls will be held from October to December across Jammu and Kashmir.

The electoral rolls have already been issued and this time instead of ballot papers, electronic voting machines (EVMS) will be used. Recently, the state administrative council (SAC), which was headed by the governor had approved the Jammu and Kashmir municipal corporations (Amendment Bill, 2018), which facilitates the conduct of elections to the MC in the state through EVMS.

The elections scheduled to be held in January, were deferred after the PDP-BJP coalition government-led by Mehbooba Mufti told the Centre that the situation was not conducive for polls.