Registration of non-locals as voters in Jammu highly suspicious, JK Peoples Conference – ‘Kashmir News Trust #KNT
Kashmir News Trust #KNT
Reacting to the directive issued by DC Jammu to facilitate registration of nonlocals as electors, the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference today said that the order is highly suspicious and the onus of proving our suspicions wrong yet again lies on the ECI and the J&K administration.
“The directive issued by DC Jammu authorizing revenue officials to issue a certificate of residence to outsiders residing in Jammu for more than one year is highly suspicious. It reinforces the apprehensions in the minds of locals that outsiders are being enabled to register as voters in order to change the demographic profile of J&K. This action is also in blatant violation of the SC judgment in ECI Vs Dr. Manmohan Singh case, where the court held that the ordinary resident in a constituency as mentioned in the Representation of the People Act, 1950 shall mean a habitual resident of that place or a resident as a matter of fact in regular, normal or usual course and that the residence must be permanent in character and for a considerable time with the intention to dwell permanently”, PC spokesperson said in a statement.
The spokesperson further asserted that apprehensions of demographic intervention in J&K are actually fueled by unwarranted actions, gestures, and statements of certain officers of the election authority.
“First, the press conference of the CEO claiming registration of 25 lakh outside voters created doubts about demographic intervention, and then the State Administration had to retract on this statement by issuing a clarification. Now, the Deputy Commissioner Jammu has provided fodder to such apprehensions by her latest directive forcing the people of J&K to believe that such demographic intervention is actually taking shape”, he said.
Peoples’ Conference accordingly urged the Election Commission of India as well as the J&K Administration to come clean on the matter and clarify if DC Jammu has been authorized to issue such a directive and if so, under what law, rule, or norm.
