After delimitation, a new twist has unfolded in the electoral politics of Jammu and Kashmir. Now every Indian citizen staying in J&K – as an employee, a student, a labourer or any non-local can vote in the Assembly elections.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer Hirdesh Kumar on Wednesday said around 25 lakh new voters are expected to be enrolled in J&K as the special summary revision of electoral rolls is being held for the first time after abrogation of J&K’s autonomous status i.e. the Article 370 in 2019.
The Electoral Officer said there is no need for a person to have a domicile certificate of J&K to become a voter.
"An employee, a student, a labourer or anyone from outside J&K who is living ordinarily in J&K, can enlist his or her name in the voting list. The documents will be scrutinized by the government officials concerned who will take a decision after being satisfied about the claim,” he said.
Kumar said that after abrogation of Article 370 every citizen of the country staying ordinarily in J&K can register as a voter here & cast vote in the next assembly elections.
However, all the Unionists strongly reacted against the move.
J&K Peoples Conference President Sajad Gani Lone said that such a step would be a replay of 1987.
"This is dangerous. I don’t know what they want to achieve. This is much more than a mischief. Democracy is a relic especially in the context of Kashmir. Please remember 1987. We are yet to come out of that. Don’t replay 1987. It will be as disastrous,” lone said.
National Conference’s Omar Accused BJP of seeking backdoor entry into J&K by bringing in non-local voters.
"Is the BJP so insecure about support from genuine voters of J&K that it needs to import temporary voters to win seats? None of these things will help the BJP when the people of J&K are given a chance to exercise their franchise,” he said.
Moreover, People Democratic Party President, Mehbooba Mufti said that it will directly influence the voter turn out in favour of BJP.
"GOIs decision to defer polls in J&K preceded by egregious gerrymandering tilting the balance in BJPs favour & now allowing non locals to vote is obviously to influence election results. Real aim is to continue ruling J&K with an iron fist to disempower locals,” she said.
The Himalayan region of Kashmir region had majorly reported meagre voter turnouts since decades with a majority of the population boycotting the elections.