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| NC threatens to stay away from Panchayat polls | | |
Mohammad Sarfaraz
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Sept 5: The National Conference on Wednesday said it would not contest upcoming Panchayat and Municipal elections in J&K.
"Our party won't contest the upcoming Panchayat and municipal elections as the situation is not conducive for the elections," NC president Farooq Abdullah told reporters here.
The decision came days ahead of the issuance of a formal notification by the Governor's administration. It also coincided with Governor Satya Pal Malik presiding over his maiden meeting of the State Administrative Council (SAC).
The Panchayat polls were earlier postponed by the elected government on basis of security situation, but the central government is keen to hold the exercise.
"Recently announced Urban Local Body polls and Panchayat elections came under discussion.
The core group felt that this decision was taken in a hurried manner without taking into consideration the prevailing situation created by the powers that be by unnecessarily fiddling with Art 35 A," a statement issued by the NC said.
"The core group unanimously decided that J&K National Conference will not participate in these elections unless and until government of India and the state government clear its position in this regard and take effective steps for the protection of Art 35 A in and outside the courts."
"It is now for the central government to clarify where it stands with regard to Art 35-A," Omar Abdullah, NC vice president, wrote on twitter. "It's not enough to use Panchayat & Municipal elections simply to delay proceedings in court."
Meanwhile, rights activist Rasikh Rasool said that if political parties are openly backing or boycotting these Panchayat elections, this means it is completely party based process on ground which in fact is violation of Panchayat Raj Act.
He believes that one can easily understand that these political parties are making cheap laws when they remain in power and they accordingly make some changes like forming or amending any laws into the constitution of J&K, while as Panchayat and UBL polls are purely apolitical, but political parties of J&K are deliberately poking their nose in this process.
The activist said that government must think and political parties have failed to understand the true essence of Panchayat Raj Act that is and why they are creating problems by indulging political parties in the process of Panchayat polls.
"Rules must be implemented strictly so that no any political person or parties should back or criticize Panchayat polls on ground," Rasikh asserted.
"It is people's choice to poll or boycott these elections but government must ensure it should be completely non-political party based on ground," Rasikh added. |
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