SRINAGAR: The Chief Election Officer (CEO) of Jammu and Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole, has confirmed that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken cognizance and is actively addressing reports of alleged intimidation of political workers in the lead-up to the Lok Sabha elections in the Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency.
However, fresh allegations till past midnight continued to be made by both the National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party that their party workers were being harassed and arrested.
Ahead of the elections, the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) raised concerns about the alleged arrest spree targeting their workers and agents.
They highlighted the arrests on social media, demanding immediate release and intervention from various authorities, including the ECI, Prime Minister, and Home Minister.
However, within hours of Pole’s assurance, fresh allegations of harassment continued.
Late in the night, Agha Ruhullah Mehdi, an influential Shia leader and NC’s candidate from Srinagar, posted on X, “The village in Pulwama where my colleague and Pulwama constituency incharge Khaleel Bandh sb resides, is suddenly surrounded by the forces and CASO launched in the village a night prior to polling day. If the reports from my colleagues are to be believed, some arrests are also taking place.”
“Our workers are being picked up by the police since yesterday. I got a call from a senior colleague like A R Rather sb informing me about the arrests of our workers from Chrarsharif. Similar calls from the colleagues from Khansahab and Chadoora. Would the @ECISVEEP please care to explain these arrests,” he had earlier tweeted.
Mehdi told media persons that “they want minimal voter turnout because they are aware that it will work for the BJP and its allies. However, people will come out to vote in unprecedented numbers.”
He called for the immediate release of his party workers and also those of the PDP.
PDP youth leader and the party’s Srinagar candidate, Waheed Parra alleged attempts to manipulate the elections by certain officials within the Jammu and Kashmir administration, drawing parallels to the controversial 1987 elections.
He accused specific officials of orchestrating arrests and harassment of PDP supporters, urging for free and fair elections. Para’s concerns were echoed by Mehbooba Mufti, who criticized the imposition of Section 144 and raised suspicions of rigging reminiscent of 1987.
Para alleged an enforced boycott in PDP areas. Both leaders appealed to the Election Commission of India and other authorities to address the situation urgently, citing concerns about voter turnout and democracy.
In another post on X, Para alleged that ADGP Vijay Kumar was allegedly asking officials to “minimize voting”.
“In the past, Kashmir has experienced boycotts at the behest of separatists. Today, we’re witnessing a similar scenario, with an IPS officer of ADGP rank, Mr. Vijay Kumar, allegedly directing officials to minimize voter turnout by detaining, harassing our workers. Such actions serve the interests of anti-national elements, not India. @PMOIndia @HMOIndia We’re reaching out to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to urgently address and relocate the official from his sensitive position,” Para tweeted while tagging multiple handles of the Election Commission of India and the PMO.
Para even shared an unverified audio clip, alleging that police were in nexus with Apni Party in orchestrating harassment of PDP workers.
He named J&K Apni Party chairman Altaf Bukhari for the crackdown on his supporters. “He (Bukhari) prepares and sends the list of PDP leaders to Delhi and gets them arrested,” Parra alleged.
However, Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party Altaf Bukhari also alleged that his party workers were being arrested before the polls. Bukhari accused NC and PDP of being “hand in glove” with the administration for arresting his workers.
“My party workers are being detained and harassed. PDP and NC, who have governed the state before, have officers in the administration at whose behest they are arresting and harassing my workers,” Bukhari said in a press conference in Srinagar.
A late-night tweet from PDP’s Firdous Tak said, “So polling agents of @jkpdp are the main target. They are being detained and lodged in the police station for absolutely no reason. What’s cooking and who want polling stations to be unmanned. Wake-up #Srinagar – they are coming to steal your rights.”
According to the PDP, around 50 PDP supporters, including polling agents, have been arrested by the police in Pulwama district. Mr. Parra hails from Pulwama.
NC president Farooq Abdullah accused the police of instilling fear among voters.
“The L-G must stop the harassment of people. Using the police to harass our people will win the BJP any elections. The police are calling elders and youths and then telling them they are with Hurriyat and others. They are trying to create fear among you,” Abdullah said.
NC leader Tanvir Sadiq also alleged that NC candidate Aga Ruhullah Mehdi was denied “a boat rally and road show in Mir Behri”, an interior pocket of the Dal Lake. “While we’re barred from campaigning, a BJP-aligned proxy party enjoys the privilege of doing so in the same location. This sequence of events, from permission to withdrawal, is truly shameful,” Sadiq said.
While the Jammu and Kashmir Police have not commented on the allegations, the Chief Electoral Officer confirmed that the ECI is investigating the reported harassment of political workers.
In a statement on X, CEO acknowledged grievances regarding the intimidation of political workers and the imposition of Section 144 orders.
Pole clarified that Section 144 orders, which restrict certain activities during the silence period of campaigning, were issued in accordance with established rules. He affirmed that similar orders had been issued in other constituencies and were now extended to all districts of the Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency, including Pulwama.
Pole emphasized that permissions for rallies and political meetings are being granted without discrimination through an online portal, urging candidates to consider security concerns.
The allegations of harassment and apprehensions of rigging cropped up a day ahead of the polling in Srinagar-Pulwama, which goes to polls today.
Srinagar parliamentary seat, spread in five districts of Shopian, Ganderbal, Pulwama, Srinagar and Budgam, comprising 18 assembly segments and 17.47 lakh voters is slated for voting on May 13.
The polling will begin at 6 in the morning and conclude at 7 in the evening.
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