*Steps to be taken to maintain high turnout
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 4: Following spurt in militants attacks, full Election Commission is visiting Srinagar on December 6 for high level security review and election preparedness with top brass of civil and police administration and officials of the Election Department to ensure smooth and violence free voting in three remaining phases on December 9, 14 and 20 in which 54 seats would go to voting.
The Election Commission is concerned over the level of violence especially after terror strike in Arnia in which 12 persons were killed followed by grenade attack at Lal Chowk, killing of Sarpanch and attack on two others followed by infiltration attempt in Nowgam sector in which six militants and an Army official were killed.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Umang Narula told the Excelsior that the full Election Commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) VS Sampath is visiting Srinagar on December 6 to review security and election arrangements for remaining phases of elections and meet political parties to ascertain their views on the situation and necessary steps required for free and fair polling without violence and militancy related incidents.
Narula said the full Election Commission will visit Srinagar only, the summer capital of the State, as they would review arrangements for third and fourth phase of polling while review of fifth phase in which 20 seats of Jammu, Samba and Kathua seats would vote, can be held later.
Official sources said the full Election Commission headed by Sampath and comprising two Election Commissioners—DS Brahma and Dr Nassem Zaidi and Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi, Incharge Jammu and Kashmir will reach Srinagar in the morning and joined by CEO Umang Narula and other senior officials of the Election Department of Jammu and Kashmir would hold high level review of security arrangements and election preparedness for remaining phases of the elections especially third and fourth in which 34 seats (16 in third phase and 18 in fourth phases) would have voting.
The Election Commission would hold separate meeting with Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, Director General of Police (DGP) K Rajendra Kumar and Nodal Officer for Elections, Additional DGP SM Sahai in which they would have detailed review of recent terror strikes in Jammu and Kashmir and steps required to prevent such incidents in future to ensure that they didn’t impact the voting turnout as witnessed in first two phases.
After terror attacks especially after the killing of a National Conference Sarpanch in Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had called for review of security by the Election Commission of India to prevent such incidents.
The full Election Commission would have another high level meeting with Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir, Rohit Kansal and Jammu Shant Manu, IGPs of Jammu and Kashmir Rajesh Kumar and AG Mir, which would be attended by all Deputy Commissioners and SSPs of Kashmir region and DC and SSP of Samba district apart from some other senior officers of civil and police administration.
The Deputy Commissioners and SSPs of Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri districts haven’t been called to the meeting as their districts would go to polls in the fifth phase and these constituencies are generally considered peaceful, sources said but added that since the Divisional Commissioner and IGP Jammu would be present in the meeting, the situation in these three districts can also come up for review.
The Commission would also have a meeting with representatives of all recognized political parties separately to take their view point on security arrangements for candidates, political parties, rally venues and polling stations apart from vulnerable areas to thwart any possibility of the militant strike. They will also take suggestions of the political parties for further improvement in security scenario and increase in turnout especially in Srinagar district.
While voting percentage in first two phases—71.2 and 72.1 respectively—was very impressive and even beyond expectations of the Election Commission, the latter didn’t want to take any chances and ensure that the similar percentage is maintained for three remaining phases. The Commission was hopeful of impressive turnouts in Baramulla, Budgam, Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian, Jammu, Samba, Kathua and Rajouri districts in the three remaining phases, it was worried about Srinagar district, where separatists call of boycott generally holds sway leading to very low turnout in some constituencies.
The Commission wanted all possible steps to be taken to increase voting turnout in all eight Assembly constituencies of Srinagar district, which would vote in fourth phase on December 14.
The Commission would review deployment of additional para-military forces given by the Home Ministry for conduct of elections and mobilization of Armed and Jammu and Kashmir Police at polling stations, election rally venues and protection to candidates, sources said adding the Commission could ask for enhanced protection at the rallies and increase in security of candidates.
Among others Prime Minister Narendra Modi is holding first ever election rally in Srinagar on December 8. The BJP was mobilizing at least one lakh people for the rally.
It may be mentioned here that four infiltrators had strike in Arnia killing five civilians and three Army soldiers before being eliminated by the troops while the very next day the militants had lobbed grenade at Lal Chowk in Srinagar injuring eight persons. A day later, a National Conference Sarpanch was shot dead in Kashmir while a PDP Sarpanch was injured.
Election process has been completed on 33 Assembly segments in first two phases while 16 Assembly seats would go to vote in third phase on December 9, 18 seats in fourth phase on December 14 and 20 seats in fifth and final phase on December 20. Counting of votes will take place on December 23.
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