“Mehbooba should follow security protocol while venturing out”
State Election Commissioner (SEC) K K Sharma Monday today said all polling stations in Kashmir are sensitive and adequate security measures have been put in place for the second phase of District Development Council (DDC) in which 43 constituencies will go for polls on Tuesday.
Sharma clarified that no candidate is barred from going on field for campaigning and said PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti being the former chief minister of erstwhile J&K, needs to follow security protocol while moving out, he said this duirng a presser
here.
“As far as her Friday’s visit, that was not for campaigning. She is free to do campaigning for her party candidates under proper protocol,” she said.
Sharma hoped for larger participation of people in the phase two of DDC polls tomorrow. “I hope people will come out in good numbers without fear to cast vote so that DDC’s are formed in each district to give development a new push.”
According to said there are 280 DDC constituencies in J&K and each district has 14. “In phase two, 25 constituencies will go to polls in Kashmir and 18 in Jammu region,” SEC said” there are 321 candidates in the fray for DDC polls of which 196 are from Kashmir and 125 in Jammu.”
He added there are 7.90 lakh voters eligible for the DDC polls while total number of polling stations is 2142 of which 1305 are in Kashmir and 837 Jammu. The phase-1 of the DDC polls witnessed 52 percent voting.
Reacting to reports that PAGD candidates are barred from campaigning, he said, ” a few complaints were received on WhatsApp and the same were forwarded to IGP Kashmir, who has taken up the issue with the concerned SSPs. I reiterate that no candidate is barred from campaigning and that there are at times security risks. For us human lives matter. Candidates are advised to inform the police in advance so that necessary security arrangements are made for their campaigning,” he said.
He also revealed that some candidates have been elected unopposed and they will soon be allowed to go to their respective homes under proper security cover.
Sharma advised the voters to follow Covid-19 protocol in spirit and wear face masks while being in queues, stating that 10 litres of sanitizers have been kept at all polling booths.
He also said that West Pakistan Refugees (WPRs) participated in the election for the first time and their exact number of WPRs who participated in polls will be provided to the media separately,” he said.
