JOIN USEC postpones Anantnag bypoll to May 25
The Election Commission (EC) on Monday postponed the Wednesday’s bypoll in Anantnag parliamentary constituency in Jammu and Kashmir to May 25.
The decision was taken a day after eight youths were killed when security personnel had to fire on mobs that sought to disrupt voting in the bypoll for Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency. Violence marred polling in Srinagar on Sunday with less than 8% of the voters turning out at the polling stations.
Violent attempts
The commission said that it had decided to postpone polling in Anantnag after receiving a report from the state administration which conveyed its apprehension that some miscreants “might make violent attempts to thwart the polling process in the constituency” following the clashes and loss of lives in Srinagar on Sunday.
The Election Commission said that it not only considered the report of the state administration, but also took into account inputs from various sources, including reports from the state chief electoral officer, divisional commissioner of south Kashmir, returning officer of the constituency and other election authorities.
Free and fair election
The Election Commission said it expects the law and order situation in the constituency to improve and become conducive to hold free and fair election.
Tassaduq Hussain Mufti, the brother of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, is the candidate of the ruling People’s Democratic Party in Anantnag. He had earlier urged the commission to postpone the election in view of the large-scale violence and loss of lives in Srinagar on Sunday.