Hold polls as per schedule: NC leaders in Rajouri

Rajouri, Apr 28: The Rajouri unit of National Conference while expressing concern has asked Election Commission of India (ECI) not to take any season of postponing elections on Anantnag- Rajouri parliamentary seat. It stated that any such decision will keep Nomadic population deprived of their voting right.

Addressing a press conference, NC leaders including Shafqat Mir, Nahim Bhat and others said that Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat carries a lot of political importance as areas of two different regions are under this constituency.

"We are all set to go for voting on May 7 and all the political parties as well as contesting independent candidates are busy in campaigning," Mir said. He added that suddenly a communication has gone viral on social media in which it is seen that BJP, which is not even contesting elections on the seat, and some other independent candidates are demanding postponing of elections on the parliamentary seat.

"Any decision to postpone elections will keep a chunk of population from tribal community deprived after basic fundamental right of voting," he said. The NC leader added that these nomads including Bakerwals, Gujjars and Paharis are waiting for May 7 and they will start their seasonal migration soon after casting the vote but any postponement in the voting day will badly impact these tribals who will be left with no other option then to go for seasonal migration and will miss the opportunity of voting. "There is no special arrangement made by Election Commission of India to facilitate voting of these nomads during their seasonal migration and thus any proposed decision for postpone of elections on the seat should be dropped." the NC leaders said.