Ali Asad
Srinagar, Apr 15: Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party has penned a letter to the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, advocating for the postponement of elections in a newly created constituency. The demand stems from concerns over the recurrent closure of the Mughal Road, which connects Anantnag-Rajouri, impeding the movement of candidates and supporters.
Reports said that Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party has written a letter to the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer demanding that this election be held in later phases so that the candidates and supporters do not face any problem in commuting through this road. “Due to frequent closure of Mughal Road, workers and party leaders will face difficulty in commuting in Rajouri-Poonch of Kashmir and Jammu divisions. Nomination is to be held in Anantnag. In such a situation, the workers of Rajouri-Poonch will have to face huge difficulties in reaching Anantnag via Jammu. Due to these problems, the enthusiasm of workers and party leaders in election campaigning will be less. Candidates will also not be able to reach the common people,” sources quoting the letter divulged.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party spokesman Irfan Manhas confirmed that the party has taken up the issue of the Mughal road closure and its subsequent fallout with the Election Commission of India and has urged it to postpone the polls in the constituency due to the pervasive weather crises. He said that the closure of the road has thrown life out of the gear in the region and has halted the movement of leaders, workers as well as the voters in more ways than one. “We have sought postponement of the polls in the constituency so that once weather improves and road connectivity is restored, we will be able to campaign effectively there,” Irfan said.
Furthermore, the newly delineated constituency, designed to balance power dynamics, encompasses 18 assembly seats, including 11 in South Kashmir and seven in Rajouri-Poonch. With over seven lakh voters in Rajouri-Poonch and approximately 11 lakh voters in Anantnag, Kulgam, and Shopian of South Kashmir, the closure of the Mughal Road poses logistical challenges for political workers and leaders traversing between the two regions.
Nomination procedures are slated to occur in Anantnag, requiring workers from Rajouri-Poonch to navigate through Jammu to reach their destination. The anticipated difficulties in transportation could dampen enthusiasm and hinder effective campaigning efforts, impacting candidates’ ability to engage with constituents.
As the nomination process has commenced and campaigning days are dwindling, political parties fear inadequate time to reach every voter and village effectively. Despite the urgency of the situation, there has been no response from the Chief Electoral Officer regarding the request to extend the election date.
