Electoral rolls: Parties raise red flag over Jammu DC’s order
Srinagar, Oct 12 : Political parties have raised a red flag after the authorities in Jammu directed revenue officials to issue residence certificate to those living in the district for more than a year to facilitate their entry in the ongoing special summary revision of electoral rolls.
District Poll Officer and Deputy Commissioner of Jammu Avny Lavasa issued an order on Tuesday saying those living in Jammu for over a year can register as voters.
The National Conference hit out at the order claiming that the Government is going ahead with its plan to “add” 25 lakh “non-local voters” in J&K.
“The Government is going ahead with its plan to add 25 lakh non-local voters in J&K and we continue to oppose this move. BJP is scared of the elections & knows it will lose badly. People of J&K must defeat these conspiracies at the ballot box,” NC tweeted.
Peoples Democratic President Mehbooba Mufti alleged that the order makes it clear that the government of India’s “colonial settler project” has been initiated in Jammu.
“ECI’s latest order for registration of new voters makes it clear that GOIs colonial settler project has been initiated in Jammu. They will bear the first blow to Dogra culture, identity, employment & business,” she tweeted.
“BJPs attempts to create religious & regional divisions between Jammu & Kashmir must be thwarted because whether its a Kashmiri or a Dogra, safeguarding our identity & rights will be possible only if we put up a collective fight.”
Peoples Conference termed the order of DC Jammu as suspicious.
“The latest order by DC Jammu authorising revenue officials to issue certificate of residence to outsiders residing in Jammu for more than one year is highly suspicious aimed at enabling them to vote. This goes against the SC (Supreme Court) judgement on the issue. The onus of proving our suspicions wrong yet again lies on the ECI and the J&K administration. They must clarify if such a directive is permissible,” the party tweeted.
In September, a major political controversy erupted after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer Hirdesh Kumar said that he expects an increase of around 25 lakh voters including the non-locals who ordinarily reside in Jammu and Kashmir. The J&K government later issued a statement saying nothing of this sort is happening. However, the clarification failed to end the controversy.
Few days ago, the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) and several parties set up a panel to chalk out a future strategy on the issue of any attempt of “manipulation” and “inclusion” of “non-locals” in the revised electoral rolls of Jammu and Kashmir.