Jammu and Kashmir parties oppose allowing non-locals to vote in Assembly polls

Owing to the recent move, 25 lakh new voters are likely to be added to the existing 76 lakh enlisted voters in the UT

The announcement of Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Hirdesh Kumar that non-locals living ordinarily in the Union Territory (UT) vote in the upcoming Assembly elections Thursday triggered a row with major political parties raising strong objections to the move.

To chalk out the future strategy to counter the move, National Conference (NC) president and Gupkar Alliance chief Farooq Abdullah called an all party meeting on Monday over the decision. Except the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), an invitation has been sent to all other parties by Abdullah to discuss future course of action.

On Wednesday Kumar announced that the requirement of domicile was not necessary for outsiders to get enlisted as voters and armed forces personnel from other states who are posted at peace stations in J&K can also get their names added in the voter list. An employee, a student, a labourer or anyone from outside who is living ordinarily in J&K, can enlist his or her name in the voting list.

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The decision is likely to add 25 lakh new voters J&K in the next election, with non-locals registering to vote for the first time in the region. According to the last registered voter list, J&K had 76 lakh enlisted voters. A special revision of the electoral rolls will allow non-locals to register as voters in J&K for the first time since the Centre scrapped its special status under Article 370 in August 2019.

J&K has been under Central rule since June 19, 2018, following the collapse of a coalition government headed by Mehbooba Mufti after the pullout of its partner BJP. Much awaited Assembly elections are expected to be held next year in April-May.

Former chief ministers, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti sharply reacted to the decision of the J&K CEO calling it a “dangerous attempt" to influence elections.

Omar said the decision was driven by the BJP’s “insecurity” about support in the region. “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 tweeted.

Mehbooba Mufti, while sharply reacting to the decision, claimed that democracy was in danger. “They BJP) are simply trying to bring in 25 lakh BJP voters through the backdoor,” she told reporters at her Fairview residence.

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“Voting rights to the non-locals is aimed at conducting fraud elections to allow the BJP fascist local to rule here. They have understood that after three years of rule in J&K, they couldn’t break the resistance of silent people,” she claimed.

The PDP chief also pitched for the unity among political parties and alleged that after 2024 elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) like the abrogation of Article 370 in J&K, will remove the constitution of India and replace the Tricolor with ‘Bhaghwa flag’.

“We have been witnessing how the elections are being rigged everywhere in the country, even before and after the elections as well. The BJP is not going to change the country into Hindu Rashtra, but in BJP Rashtra,” she said, adding that the way Article 370 was removed unconstitutionally and Indian constitution was subverted, "it is all in the interests of BJP as after the decision, the party sold J&K plot in rest of the countries."