SRINAGAR: Members of the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) have overwhelmingly voted against the resignation of Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid, with a secret ballot showing strong support for his continuation as a Member of Parliament despite his prolonged detention.
The outcome was announced on Friday by independent observers Parvaiz Ahmad Bhat and Aijaz Yousuf Shah, who were invited by the party to oversee the deliberations and ensure a free and fair voting process.
According to the observers, representatives from all 18 Assembly segments participated in 12 meetings held over two days to deliberate whether Rashid should continue as MP in view of his continued incarceration, which party members said had created a barrier between him and his constituents.
The meetings, held from June 25 to June 26, featured extensive discussions, with participants sharing feedback gathered from residents and various sections of society across the Baramulla parliamentary constituency.
Following the deliberations, participants cast their votes through a secret ballot with three options — whether Rashid should resign as MP, continue in office, or express no opinion.
Of the 773 votes cast, 746 were against Rashid’s resignation, while 24 favoured his stepping down. Three participants said they could not reach a decision on the issue.
The observers described the exercise as “transparent, fair and impartial” and said participants were able to vote freely according to their conscience.
Later, the AIP Working Committee, which met under the chairmanship of senior vice-president G N Shaheen, welcomed the outcome and thanked party workers, delegates and civil society members who participated in the consultation process.
The party said it had sought permission from the authorities to hold the deliberations at Srinagar’s Tagore Hall or another suitable venue but was not granted approval.
According to the AIP, Rashid had informed the party some time ago about his intention to resign and had also hinted at it during his father’s funeral last month. The party said it decided to seek feedback from the grassroots before taking a position on the issue.
The AIP said the overwhelming vote in favour of Rashid continuing as MP reflected the confidence people have in his leadership and stated that it would communicate the outcome of the deliberations to him through his legal team.
The party, however, added that the final decision on whether to resign or continue rests solely with Rashid.
Rashid, who represents the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency, has been lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail since 2019 after being arrested by the National Investigation Agency in a terror-funding case. He won the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Baramulla while in custody.
In its statement, the AIP also renewed its demand for Rashid’s release, alleging that his continued incarceration was politically motivated. It further claimed that his election victory reflected public support for his political agenda and rejected assertions that it was merely a sympathy vote. Those claims could not be independently verified.
