<p>India is expected to register as many as 2.5 million new voters in the contested Jammu and Kashmir region, a top official said late on Wednesday, in a move local political parties said was an attempt to influence upcoming elections.</p>.<p>India stripped semi-autonomy from the Union Territory in 2019, changing the Indian constitution to allow non-Kashmiris to vote and own land there.</p>.<p>Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer Hirdesh Kumar told reporters on Wednesday that more than 2 million new voters are expected to be enrolled in the region ahead of local polls due in November. The new registrants could increase the voter count by more than a third, adding to the existing 7.6 million voters in the region.</p>.<p>"We are expecting an addition of (2 to 2.5 million) new voters in the final list,” Kumar said, including non-Kashmiris living in the region.</p>.<p>Kashmiris fear the rule changes will allow the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to alter the demographics of the region, quelling a decades-long independence movement.</p>.<p>The BJP says its policies in the region are for the benefit of ordinary Kashmiris.</p>.<p>There has been sharp criticism from the main political parties in Kashmir over the move.</p>.<p>The former chief minister and J&K Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said it is aimed at influencing the election results.</p>.<p>“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 in a tweet.</p>.<p>A second former chief minister Omar Abdullah, from the rival Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, was also critical of the decision.</p>.<p>“Is the BJP so insecure about support from genuine voters of J&K that it needs to import temporary voters to win seats?” he tweeted.</p>
<p>India is expected to register as many as 2.5 million new voters in the contested Jammu and Kashmir region, a top official said late on Wednesday, in a move local political parties said was an attempt to influence upcoming elections.</p>.<p>India stripped semi-autonomy from the Union Territory in 2019, changing the Indian constitution to allow non-Kashmiris to vote and own land there.</p>.<p>Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer Hirdesh Kumar told reporters on Wednesday that more than 2 million new voters are expected to be enrolled in the region ahead of local polls due in November. The new registrants could increase the voter count by more than a third, adding to the existing 7.6 million voters in the region.</p>.<p>"We are expecting an addition of (2 to 2.5 million) new voters in the final list,” Kumar said, including non-Kashmiris living in the region.</p>.<p>Kashmiris fear the rule changes will allow the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to alter the demographics of the region, quelling a decades-long independence movement.</p>.<p>The BJP says its policies in the region are for the benefit of ordinary Kashmiris.</p>.<p>There has been sharp criticism from the main political parties in Kashmir over the move.</p>.<p>The former chief minister and J&K Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said it is aimed at influencing the election results.</p>.<p>“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 in a tweet.</p>.<p>A second former chief minister Omar Abdullah, from the rival Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, was also critical of the decision.</p>.<p>“Is the BJP so insecure about support from genuine voters of J&K that it needs to import temporary voters to win seats?” he tweeted.</p>