Jammu and Kashmir residence certificate order withdrawn after resentment by Opposition

Just a day after the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) administration started enrolling outsiders who had lived more than one year in the Union Territory (UT) as voters the order was revoked in a late-night notification after opposition by most political parties.

On Tuesday Deputy Commissioner Jammu issued an order authorising tehsildars to issue a certificate of residence to people residing in the UT "for more than one year." The certificate of residence was aimed at facilitating the name entry in the ongoing special summary revision of electoral rolls.

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"…keeping in view the urgency involved in the matter and to ensure that no eligible voter is left for registration during the Special Summary Revision, 2022 in District Jammu, all Tehsildars are authorized to issue a certificate of residence after conducting necessary field verifications, to the person(s) residing in District Jammu for more than one year, for the purpose," District Election Officer and Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Avny Lavasa said in the order.

However, facing a huge backlash from the National Conference, People’s Democratic Party, CPM, Peoples Conference, and the newly floated Democratic Azad Party (DAP) of Ghulam Nabi Azad, the order was revoked on Wednesday night.

In a tweet, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said, "ECI’s latest order for registration of new voters makes it clear that GOIs colonial settler project has been initiated in Jammu. They will bear the first blow to Dogra culture, identity, employment & business."

She had alleged that the BJP was attempting to create religious and regional divisions between Jammu & Kashmir and appealed to people to put up a collective fight to thwart such attempts.

The NC claimed the BJP is "scared" of the elections and knows it will lose badly.

"The Government is going ahead with its plan to add 25 lakh non-local voters in J&K and we continue to oppose this move. BJP is scared of the elections & knows it will lose badly. People of J&K must defeat these conspiracies at the ballot box," the NC said in a tweet.

The DAP chief Azad also opposed this decision and said that it will increase the social tension in the UT.

"We have always opposed the non-residents' inclusion in the voter list and it will remain as such. Article 370 gave us this provision that no nonlocal can get the voting rights in Jammu and Kashmir. Giving a certificate is all right but giving them voting rights is not right. The social tension will increase a lot by this decision," he said.