J&K BJP demands issuance of EPICs for Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu, other parts of country

The Jammu and Kashmir BJP on Tuesday demanded issuance of Election Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) for the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community members living in Jammu and other parts of the country.

J-K BJP spokesperson Girdhari Lal Raina made the demand while raising important issues with Pandurang K Pole, Chief Electoral Officer, Jammu and Kashmir, related to the effective participation of the displaced community in election process.

"We demand issuance of EPICs for the displaced KP community in Jammu and other parts of country, where they put up presently and not in Kashmir valley from where they were extirpated," Raina said.

Read | J&K L-G inaugurates 576 flats for Kashmiri Pandit employees under PM's package

The former Legislative Council member also asked for utilisation of the mechanism in place with assistant returning officers (AROs) and other support staff that caters to the special needs of this segment of population.

"It is this mechanism through which voter registration is happening. Why can’t EPICs be distributed to 100,000 through this very system," he asked.

He pleaded for issuance of necessary instructions to the concerned authorities for proper segregation and distribution of EPICs to the displaced voters.

"EPICs are being distributed by BLOs in their areas, we understand sorting and distribution is being done as per territorial assembly constituencies," Raina said.

In this process, EPICs of displaced community voters don’t reach the intended persons and get lost in transition, he stressed.