Jammu and Kashmir conducted urban local body polls after a long period of 13 years (the last polls were held in the year 2005.) The first phase of the polls began today from 7 A.M.
The election is divided into four phases, scheduled on the 8th, 10th, 13th and 16th of October. The counting of the votes will take place on the 20th of October.
Around 240 candidates have been elected unopposed, mostly from the Kashmir Valley. According to the report, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stated it has control over 7 municipal committees in the Kashmir Valley as 75 of its nominees have been elected unopposed. BJP, Congress and a few other independent candidates are standing in the elections.
The major parties, People’s Democratic Party and National Conference, boycotted the elections and did not take part in them. The parties allegedly asked the Central Government to enforce Article 35A, which talks about the rights of permanent residence and deprivation of the rights for outsiders. Another reason for the parties’ withdrawal is the threatening situation of terror in the state.
The militant group Hizbul Mujahideen, in the month of January, warned the panchayat saying conducting any elections in the state will lead to the killing and pouring of acid in the eyes of those who dare to contest in the polls. Campaigns for the elections have ceased and the candidates are hiding under their roof to be safe from mobs and terrorist troops.
The Central Government announced the state will have elections with tight security. Forty thousand additional paramilitary officials with a three tier security have been deployed for the elections.
The first phase of the polls has been conducted in the district of Anantnag, Budgam, Bandipore, Baramulla, Jammu, Kargil, Kupwara, Leh, Poonch, Rajouri and Srinagar. Mobile and internet services have been ceased in the area of South Kashmir.
