Non-locals in J&K get voting rights, Opposition says BJP's ploy to seek backdoor entry into state

New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir's Chief Electoral Officer Hirdesh Kumar on Wednesday announced that non-locals who are ordinarily  residing in Jammu and Kashmir for different purposes can register their names in the voters' list and exercise their franchise in the next Assembly elections in the state.

"The requirement of domicile is not necessary for outsiders to get enlisted as voters. The armed forces personnel from other states who are posted at peace stations in J&K can also get their names added in the voter list," he said.

Kumar said around 25 lakh new voters are expected to be enrolled in the Union Territory as the special summary revision of electoral rolls is being held for the first time after abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

Delimitation may add 25 lakh new names to J&K voters' list. @TejindersSodhi with details;#JustIn: NIA conducts raids in J&K after spotting of a drone #India #JammuAndKashmir | @toyasingh pic.twitter.com/NIT9Xmqh38

— News18 (@CNNnews18) August 18, 2022

Describing the ongoing exercise as a challenging task, he said the special summary revision of electoral rolls will be completed by 25 November.

"The massive exercise to complete the process in time is going on to ensure that all the eligible voters including those who have attained the age of 18 years on 1 October, 2022 or earlier are enrolled to provide an error-free final list," ABP report quoted Kumar as saying.

The Voter ID will be linked to AADHAR and new cards will be issued with many more security features, however, furnishing of Aadhaar number is purely voluntary, the report added.

Reacting to the development, Former chief ministers Omar Abdullah accused the BJP of seeking backdoor entry into J&K by bringing in non-local voters. "Is the BJP so insecure about support from genuine voters of J&K that it needs to import temporary voters to win seats? None of these things will help the BJP when the people of J&K are given a chance to exercise their franchise," he tweeted.

Is the BJP so insecure about support from genuine voters of J&K that it needs to import temporary voters to win seats? None of these things will help the BJP when the people of J&K are given a chance to exercise their franchise. https://t.co/ZayxjHiaQy

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) August 17, 2022

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said the real aim behind the move is to tilt the balance in BJP's favour.  "GOIs decision to defer polls in J&K preceded by egregious gerrymandering tilting the balance in BJPs favour & now allowing non locals to vote is obviously to influence election results. Real aim is to continue ruling J&K with an iron fist to disempower locals," she wrote.

GOIs decision to defer polls in J&K preceded by egregious gerrymandering tilting the balance in BJPs favour & now allowing non locals to vote is obviously to influence election results. Real aim is to continue ruling J&K with an iron fist to disempower locals. https://t.co/zHzqaMseG6 — Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 17, 2022

J&K Peoples Conference president Sajad Gani Lone, however, warned that the step would be a replay of 1987 – implying alleged rigging in the polls that led to the outbreak of insurgency a year later.

“This is dangerous. I don’t know what they want to achieve. This is much more than a mischief. Democracy is a relic especially in the context of Kashmir. Please remember 1987. We are yet to come out of that. Don’t replay 1987. It will be as disastrous,” Lone said.

With inputs from agencies

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