EC postpones Kashmir visit

The Election Commission (EC) has postponed its visit to Jammu and Kashmir where it was scheduled to review the poll preparedness for the third and fourth phase of polls.

Sources told Deccan Herald that the team headed by Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath was scheduled to hold threadbare discussion with representatives of recognised political parties and civil administration during their day-long visit on Saturday. But after the deadly militant attacks, the EC decided to postpone its visit due to security reasons, they said.

“The CEC will now hold the meeting with representatives of recognised political parties and civil administration through video conferencing,” the sources added.

The state Information Department which had earlier sent a invitation to accredited journalists to cover the event, shot an email informing that press briefing by the Election Commission on Saturday at 2:30 pm stood postponed till further notice.

The EC visit before the elections in 32 Assembly segments of Kashmir on December 9 and 14 was seen as significant given that holding of polls in these constituencies after militancy erupted in Kashmir has been a tough task for the civil and security establishments.