Mehbooba asks ECI not to defer polls

Rajouri, Apr 26: PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, who is also party candidate for Anantnag -Rajouri parliamentary seat, has asked Election Commission of India (ECI) not to postponement elections in the constituency.

She was addressing a press conference at Surankote as she is on three days visit of Rajouri and Poonch districts in connection with campaigning. The PDP President has also written a letter to ECI urging it not to defer the polls.

Mehbooba Mufti said that some of the political parties requested to postpone elections on the pretext of closure of Mughal Road but it is astonishing that road is functional and she herself had travelled over this road to reach Poonch from Kashmir on Thursday.

"Mughal Road was opened on April 8 and there is plea to postpone elections in the name of Mughal Road," she said. The PDP President further asked those who are requesting postponement of polls to clear their stand and reason for which this demand has been made.

"People have developed faith on elections in Jammu and Kashmir and it was then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2002 who assured free and fair polls and this is BJP itself who is now putting hurdles in smooth conduct of polls," she said.  Mehbooba Mufti further said that a strong wave of distrust will develop among the people of Jammu and Kashmir if any move to postpone elections on Anantnag- Rajouri parliamentary seat is made.

"We request ECI not to take any call for deferring of polls in Anantnag- Rajouri parliamentary seat," she said adding that nowhere in the country elections are deferred on the name of roads but it is happening in J&K just to keep her (Mehbooba Mufti) away from parliament.