*Says no candidate barred from campaigning
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Nov 23: State Election Commissioner K K Sharma today said an adequate number of additional forces have come from outside and a “very comfortable security environment” will remain in place to ensure free, fair and smooth elections.
Addressing a press conference here, the SEC said that additional forces have come from outside and they are being deployed in districts while a few are on the way to Kashmir. “There will be a very comfortable security environment for the smooth conduct of polls in J&K, especially Kashmir,” Sharma said.
He said that adequate security arrangements are being put in place and deployment of additional 165 CAPF companies is being ensured for maintaining peaceful law and order situation, area domination, security of candidates and polling booths for incident free polls in Kashmir. He said that keeping the weather conditions into consideration, most of the vulnerable areas have been taken up for polls in phase -I.
Terming DDC polls as historic, Sharma said that these elections being held for the first time are important for the development and strengthening of democratic set up in the UT. He said that all DCs and SSPs have been instructed to ensure comfortable campaigning of all candidates besides providing them adequate security arrangements during their visits to their areas.
He said that putting up candidates in cluster accommodations are for their security and safety and that no way means they are being prevented from holding election campaigning. He said SEC believes in providing equal opportunities to every contesting candidate and shall not bar any candidate from going anywhere he wishes to go for campaigning.
“Those who claim that they are not being allowed to go for campaigning should write to me and at the same time to concerned SSPs and Deputy Commissioners of the concerned districts. Every candidate will get security cover to his/her campaigning”, he said.
Sharma said that he has received a letter from the PAGD president Dr Farooq Abdullah and has gone through the same. “The issue has been taken up with the divisional administration and will be sorted out. I reiterate that no candidate is barred from going for campaigning,” he said.
The SEC said that political parties are free to select their star campaigners for campaigning in districts. “This process is being followed across India. He said election material has been dispatched to the remote areas that remain cut-off due to snow accumulation”, he added.
Earlier, SEC chaired a meeting with DCs and SSPs of all districts through videoconferencing which was also attended by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Pandurang K Pole and IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar.
Emphasizing on providing adequate security arrangements to all participating candidates whether party based or as independent including star campaigners, SEC instructed DCs to ensure proper transport arrangements, heating facilities and other related arrangements are made available for polling staff for their comfortable stay and smooth to and fro movement during the election process.
He said that there has been enthusiastic atmosphere prevailing in Kashmir as encouraging nominations particularly youth participants are coming forward to participate in these elections for promotion of democracy. He said the DDC polls which are being held for the first time in the UT are important and shall ensure district level leadership to the people and give boost to the developmental process in all districts.
He said that special arrangements of postal ballots are being made for various categories of people which includes senior citizens, COVID- 19 positive to remain in isolation and others to ensure everyone who can’t turn up to the polling booth is given the opportunity to exercise his/ her right to franchise.
SEC instructed DCs to ensure people to strictly follow all Covid related SOPs including use of face masks and hand sanitizers while participating in the election process. He also asked them to ensure availability of thermal scanning, face masks and hand sanitizers at all polling booths.
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