Anantnag bypoll deferred to May 25
EC move comes after request from PDP
NEWDELHI/SRINAGAR The Anantnag Lok Sabha bypoll was deferred to May 25 on Monday after the PDP’s candidate, Tassaduq Mufti, appealed to the Election Commission to postpone the election in view of large-scale violence during polling in Srinagar.
The poll panel said the state administration of Jammu and Kashmir has submitted that the law and order situation prevailing in the Valley is not conducive for holding elections.
“My appeal to the EC is to postpone the polls till the situation improves. It is my request,” Tassaduq Mufti, who is chief minister Mehbooba Mufti’s younger brother, told reporters.
Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency — spread over four districts of Kulgam, Pulwama, Shopian and Anantnag —was scheduled to go to polls on Wednesday.
A school building was set ablaze as mobs threw stones at security personnel in Anantnag town and adjoining areas, prompting chief minister Mehbooba Mufti’s brother to seek deferment of the by-election.
The fresh violence amid a complete shutdown in response to a call from separatists comes a day after widespread clashes, disrupting voting for the Srinagar by-election, while security forces left eight civilians dead in central and north Kashmir.
Tassaduq Mufti said the situation in the Valley was not right for election.
“I appeal to the election commission that the polls be postponed keeping in view the situation in the valley. Eight civilians lost their lives. You can’t force people to vote and can’t force them not to vote,” Tassaduq told reporters.
Former chief minister and opposition National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said the PDP leader’s comment was a sign of the state government’s failure.
“Tassaduq’s statement is an indictment of his sister Mehbooba Mufti’s government and its abject failure. How can the BJP not see this,” Abdullah tweeted.
He said the poll panel “is well within its powers to postpone or countermand Anantnag election but if so Mehbooba Mufti must resign and Governor should take charge”.