As the polling date for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency approaches, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti has raised concerns over the imposition of Section 144 in Pulwama district. Mufti, who is contesting from this seat, described the development as “unprecedented” and alleged the detention of her party workers.
“Section 144 has been imposed in Pulwama district, which is unprecedented and has never happened before. The PDP workers are being detained,” Mufti, the former Chief Minister, told ANI.
Mufti also expressed skepticism towards the Election Commission of India’s impartiality, suggesting the possibility of a repeat of the irregularities that marred the 1987 elections. She asserted that government machinery was being used to support proxy groups favored by the authorities.
“A bizarre kind of environment is being created. PDP workers are selectively called and harassed at the police station. Azam Khan, a 70-year-old party worker was recently detained. He was released after two days,” she further said.
Invoking former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s statement from the Red Fort in 2002, Mufti emphasized the importance of free and fair elections in Jammu and Kashmir. She maintained that the people of Kashmir were holding onto the hope of democracy and threatened to withdraw from the contest if the elections were compromised.
The Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency will vote in the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha polls on May 25. Jammu and Kashmir has a total of 5 Lok Sabha seats, including Baramulla, Srinagar, Anantnag-Rajouri, Udhampur, and Jammu. The voting in Jammu and Kashmir is being held in five phases.
The 2024 Lok Sabha elections are being held in seven phases, running from April 19 to June 1. The counting of votes and results will be declared on June 4.
