Voting rights to "non-locals" in J&K: Oppn constitutes 14-member committee to check "manipulations" [details]

Encouraged by the response of Jammu-based political parties, the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) on Saturday constituted a 14-member-panel to chalk out the future course of action against the move to include "non-locals" in the revised electoral rolls of Jammu and Kashmir.

Notable that the parties which are not members of the PADG are included in the panel to give equal representation to all regions and sub-regions of the Union Territory.

While the National Conference Lok Sabha member and retired Justice Hasnain Masoodi would be the convener of the panel, the outspoken pro-Jammu leader and former minister Choudhary Lal Singh is also one of the members of the 14-member-committee.

"Aim of constituting this panel is the device a strategy to foil designs of the authorities to manipulate the exercise of electoral rolls and include non-locals in the revised voter lists", the spokesman of the PAGD and CPM leader M Y Tarigami said.

"After mutual deliberations and consultations, the committee has been constituted with Justice (Retired) Hasnain Masoodi MP as convener," Tarigami said.

The decision to form the committee was taken on September 10

Tarigami said a decision to constitute a committee was taken at the meeting attended by senior leaders of various political parties under the chairmanship of Dr. Farooq Abdullah at Jammu on September 10.

Leaders of various political parties at a meeting on September 10 had decided to put up a united front against the "inclusion of non-locals as voters" during the summary revision of electoral rolls.

The meeting which lasted for over two hours was attended, among others, by Dr. Farooq Abdullah, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami, Awami National Conference president Muzaffar Shah, J&K Congress president Vikar Rasool Wani and working president Raman Bhalla, former minister, and Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan chief Choudhary Lal Singh, Shiv Sena president Munish Sawhney, Dogra Sadar Sabha president Gulchain Singh Charak, Mission Statehood president Sunil Dimple, besides Des Raj Manhas and Ashwani Kapoor of the CPI.

Choudhary Lal Singh of Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan, who demands the creation of a separate Jammu state, too, opposed the inclusion of outsiders as voters in Jammu and Kashmir.

Names of the 14-member committee

• Justice (Retired) Hasnain Masoodi MP convener.
• Raman Bhalla of Congress.
• Sheikh Abdul Rehman former MP.
• Rattan Lal Gupta of National Conference.
• Mehboob Beg of PDP.
• A S Reen PDP.
• Gulchain Singh Charak Dogra Sadar Sabha.
• Chowdhary Lal Singh Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan Party.
• Manish Sawhney Shiv Sena.
• Hari Singh CPI(M).
• G.M Mizrab CPI.
• Muzaffar Ahmad Shah of Awami National Conference.
• I D Khujuria of IDP.
• M Hussain of Jammu and Kashmir People's Movement.

Controversy erupted after CEO's statement

A massive political controversy had erupted after the then Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of J&K while briefing the media about the summary revision of electoral rolls on August 17 said he expects an increase of around 25 lakh voters including the "non-locals" who ordinarily reside in Jammu and Kashmir.

Except for BJP, all political parties of Jammu and Kashmir vowed to oppose this move of the Election Commission of India.

As reported earlier CEO J&K had announced that non-locals including employees, students, labourers, or anyone from outside who is living ordinarily in Jammu and Kashmir, can enlist their names on the voting list, and cast a vote in the coming assembly elections in the Union Territory.
While quoting the Representation of Peoples' Act, the CEO said that there is no need for a domicile certificate to get voting rights in the assembly elections.

J&K govt dismissed the controversy as a "misrepresentation of facts"

The J&K Government has already dismissed the row over the likely addition of 25 lakhs names to the electoral roll.

In a bid to clarify the confusion, the government said, "There have been media reports that more than 25 lakh additions will be there in the electoral rolls. This is a misrepresentation of facts, which is being spread by vested interests. This revision of electoral rolls will cover existing residents of the UT of J&K and an increase in numbers will be of the voters who have attained the age of 18 years as on 1.10.2022 or earlier".