Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 2: Full Election Commission today once again postponed by-election to VIP Assembly constituency of Anantnag and rescheduled it from June 19 to 22 after a meeting with Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Jammu and Kashmir, Shantmanu in New Delhi while taking into account the official communication of Chief Secretary BR Sharma and request of various political parties that the date of election clashed with death anniversary of Qazi Nissar, a religious personality of South Kashmir.
Shantmanu told the Excelsior after meeting with full Election Commission that the latter has conceded the request of the Chief Secretary and major political parties like PDP, NC and Congress for postponement of the election once again from June 19.
The full Election Commission comprising Dr Nasim Zaidi, Chief Election Commissioner, AK Joti and Om Prakash Rawat, Election Commissioners held detailed discussions with Shantmanu in New Delhi after calling him to the Commission Headquarters and announced the decision to postpone Anantnag Assembly by-poll.
The CEO J&K said the voting will now take place on June 22 instead of June 19 while counting will be held on June 25 instead of June 22. Rest of the schedule will remain unchanged. The nomination papers filed by the candidates till last date to do so, which expired yesterday, will stay unchanged. Scrutiny of the documents also took place today as scheduled while candidates can withdraw their nomination papers up to June 4.
Earlier, on April 19, the Election Commission had announced Anantnag by-election, which was necessitated after the death of then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7 this year, for May 16. However, on April 21, the Election Commission had postponed the election after an urgent meeting with Chief Secretary BR Sharma and Director General of Police K Rajendra Kumar, who wanted the by-poll to be deferred on the ground of law and order situation following the killing of five civilians at Handwara, Kupwara.
The election to Anantnag Assembly segment has become high-voltage after Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti yesterday filed her papers to contest the seat and retain it for the PDP as it was held by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who had passed away on January 7. Mehbooba, who had taken oath as the Chief Minister heading PDP-BJP coalition Government on April 4, had to become member of the either House of the Legislature within six months of taking oath. Presently, she is Lok Sabha member from Anantnag.
Shantmanu said there was sufficient time before the Election Commission to fill up the vacancy as the deadline for doing so would expire on July 7. Therefore, he said, the Election Commission agreed to the State Government’s request made through the Chief Secretary, taking his report into account and appeal made by almost all major political parties like the PDP, NC and Congress for postponement of the poll in view of Qazi Nissar’s death anniversary falling on the same day, which is observed by the people by taking out processions.
Official sources said the State administration, in its report, had cited that small protests could also erupt during or after the processions marking Qazi Nissar’s death anniversary on June 19, leading to less turnout for Anantnag by-poll.
The Anantnag Assembly seat had to be filled till July 7 i.e. within six months of it fell vacant on the death of death of Mufti Sayeed (January 7).
Besides Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, eight other candidates were also in the fray for Anantnag Assembly seat including Independent MLA from Langate Engineer Rashid, National Conference nomine Iftikhar Hussain Misgar and Congress candidate Hillal Ahmad Shah. Misgar and Hillal had contested 2014 Assembly election also from Anantnag against Mufti Sayeed and lost.
Qazi Nissar, who was the founding member of the Muslim United Front (MUF) in late 1980’s was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in nearby Dialgam village on June 19, 1994.
MUF was an amalgam of various parties including Jamaat-e -Islamia formed to counter National Conference-Congress alliance in 1987 elections.
The Anantnag town observes a complete shutdown in memory of Nissar.
The letter from the State Government said that the town generally observes a strike and it may be a law and order situation if elections were held on that day, the sources said.
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