Calls for opening of Mughal Road before nominations
Polling Stations close to LoC on security radar
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 29: The Election authorities have directed for restoration of Mughal Road before the nomination process starts for Anantnag-Poonch-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency on April 12 as this is the only segment which falls in both parts of Jammu and Kashmir divisions while special security arrangements are being made for the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch which share Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan.
“There has been special focus of the Election Authorities on Anantnag-Poonch-Rajouri constituency as high-profile candidates are expected to contest and star campaigners of all parties are likely to canvass,” official sources told the Excelsior.
Mughal Road links Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu division with South Kashmir areas of Anantnag etc which are part of Lok Sabha seat which has been created for the first time by the Delimitation Commission. Earlier, South Kashmir constituency included areas of Kashmir division only and was known as Anantnag-Pulwama segment while Rajouri and Poonch districts were part of Jammu seat. Now Poonch and Rajouri districts barring one Assembly constituency are part of Anantnag-Poonch-Rajouri seat.
Sources said the Election Authorities have directed the administration to ensure that Mughal Road is reopened before the nomination process starts on April 12 for third phase of polling. Polling will be held on May 7.
The Election Authorities have designated Deputy Commissioner (DC) Anantnag as the Returning Officer for the South Kashmir-Poonch-Rajouri constituency.
Rajouri and Poonch districts share long LoC with Pakistan and were rocked by a series of terror attacks last year in which 20 bravehearts of the Army sacrificed their lives while nearly 30 terrorists were killed on the LoC as well as hinterland. However, this year, no major incident has been reported from the two districts but they remained major focus area for the Election authorities, administration as well as security agencies.
Army has already intensified patrolling along LoC in the twin districts to foil intrusion bids by the terrorists to disrupt the elections. In the hinterland, Jammu and Kashmir Police, Army and paramilitary forces have been conducting surveillance in all vulnerable areas to ensure that there is no terror attack.
“Apart from Anantnag, two other Parliamentary seats of the Kashmir valley—Srinagar and Baramulla will also have heightened security arrangements,” the sources said, adding the police administration has already worked out the security plan. The Election Authorities are too keeping strict vigil.
Anantnag-Poonch-Rajouri seat has been major focus for the BJP and Union Home Minister Amit Shah is certain to campaign for the BJP candidate in the constituency which is going to polls in third phase on May 7. Though the BJP has not named its candidate, party’s UT chief Ravinder Raina is stated to be the frontrunner for the mandate. National Conference has already announced that it will contest South Kashmir seat while the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and DPAP of Ghulam Nabi Azad could also jump into the fray though none of the parties have so far announced the candidates.
As far as the Polling Stations along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts are concerned, sources said the LoC is peaceful for past quite some time with no shelling and firing reported from any areas.
“Nevertheless, a contingency plan will remain in force for the Polling Stations falling close to the LoC in the two districts to ensure that voting is not disrupted on May 7,” the sources said.
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