SRINAGAR: An embarrassing low poll, that created history in Srinagar on Sunday, has eventually led to the rescheduling of the elections in South Kashmir. Reports suggest the elections will now be held on May 25, a few days ahead of the holy month of fasting.
A TV channel announced deferment of the election by the ECI, scheduled for Wednesday. Seemingly it was a source-based story as the ECI is yet to issue a formal statement in this regard.
Tassaduq Mufti, the ruling alliance candidate, had sought postponement of the polling on basis of the situation that Kashmir witnessed on Sunday. There were eight killings and more than 150 persons injured.
The decision was taken on basis of the Chief Electoral Officer’s report. PDP was supportive of deferment, Congress opposed it and the NC said it will go by the ECI decision.
The decision came after hectic day long meetings between the high officials from Delhi to Srinagar. ECI had an interaction with Chief Secretary following which CEO had a meeting with the political parties on basis of which he sent a report to the ECI.
However, the developments that did not get any major attention in Kashmir was the cold war between Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Election Commission of India (ECI). While MHA had insisted the ECI ignored MHA advice, the latter said it was not supposed to go by what MHA would say.
Reports appearing in various Delhi based newspapers suggest that after ECI announced the poll schedule on March 10, MHA sent a “strongly worded” letter saying there was no prior consultation with it regarding the exercise.
“The Home Ministry had said the atmosphere in the Kashmir Valley was not conducive and hence polling should be delayed and preferably held after panchayat elections are conducted in the next few months,” the newspaper reports said. “The Election Commission ignored the Home Ministry’s advice and went ahead with its schedule for bypolls in Srinagar and Anantnag seats.”
The only consultation had been when ECI sought nearly 30,000 security men for polls in a meeting that a joint secretary attended. This was agreed to, the reports said. “The number of paramilitary personnel sought by the EC was very high,” reports quoting MHA sources said.
But the huge deployments did not help in keeping the day incident free. Sunday witnessed according to MHA report, as many as 190 incidents of stone pelting, 120 polling booths were made dysfunctional, 24 EVMs were looted, two schools burnt down, besides eight people being killed.
In retaliation of these reports, the ECI reacted insisting that polls were announced “as per the assessment conditions” which were conducive for the exercise. However, by the evening, the ECI agreed to defer and reschedule the exercise.
It said electoral body was not bound to consult MHA for the conduct of elections.
The EC sources said as per its assessment, coupled with the response of the State government, if the prevailing conditions were conducive for holding of Panchayat elections by the State government, then holding of parliamentary elections is also possible.
“The election of Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency was due before April 16, and it was a constitutional obligation to hold the elections. The State Government was consulted on the subject as it is responsible for the law and order and security issues,” ECI “sources” were quoted saying. “The State government had informed the Commission that the preparation for free, fair and peaceful elections are being made and a comprehensive deployment plan was also worked out by the police. They also upgraded the security of political leaders and candidates.”
The embarrassing low poll has upset the entire system. The poll participation of 7.14 per cent is the historic low record in Srinagar. In 2014, 26 per cent of voting was registered in the Lok Sabha polls. The second lowest was in 1999 when only 11.93 per cent of voting was recorded.
