FIR registered against Mehbooba Mufti for alleged MCC violation

Srinagar, May 29: Election authorities have registered an FIR against former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President, Mehbooba Mufti, for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

According to officials, the FIR stems from a protest sit-in led by Mufti and her party workers in the Bijbehara area of south Kashmir's Anantnag district.

The incident occurred while polling was underway for the Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary seat during the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections.

The protest was held outside a Police Station in Anantnag, where Mufti and her supporters demonstrated against the alleged detention of PDP workers and polling agents.

The authorities described the protest as a “gross violation” of the MCC and Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which had been imposed to maintain public order during the election period.

The FIR details that the protest, which lasted for over an hour, involved a large group of PDP workers blocking the main road in Bijbehara.

This action violated the prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC, which bans unlawful assembly and processions to prevent any potential law and order issues.

The prohibitory orders were in effect from 6 pm on May 23 to 6 pm on May 25, coinciding with the polling period in the constituency.

Mehbooba responded to the FIR while posting on X, “Amusing to find an FIR filed against me for apparently flouting MCC. This is the price PDP has paid for speaking truth to power.”

She accused the Centre and the local administration of colluding to suppress her party's electoral activities, including the detention of PDP polling agents and workers just before voting began.

Mufti alleged that the administration conducted Cordon and Search Operations (CASO) in traditional PDP stronghold areas to intimidate voters and prevent them from casting their ballots.

She described the situation as “the pot calling the kettle black” and emphasised that her protest was a legitimate response to what she perceived as undemocratic actions by the authorities.