New Delhi, Apr 21: The Election Commission on Thursday announced postponement of bypoll to the prestigious Anantnag assembly seat after the Jammu and Kashmir government said the law and order situation in the district was "not conducive".
In an official release, the Commission said the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir B R Sharma has apprised it that the law and order situation of Anantnag district "due to certain recent incidents is not conducive at the moment for the holding bye-election". He requested the Commission to postpone the bye-election from Anantnag Assembly constituency for the present, it said. Located in South Kashmir, Anantnag seat fell vacant after the death of the then state Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed on January 7.
The EC had announced bypoll to this seat along with eight other Assembly seats on May 16.
The state government has requested the EC to postpone the polling and counting by about 10 days for the bye-election, it said. Therefore, the EC said, a decision has been taken to postpone the two by-elections for the present and hereby rescinds its earlier order, it said, adding fresh dates will be announced later. |
