Srinagar, Apr 26 (UNI) Two former Chief Ministers-- Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti on Friday asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) not to postpone the polls for the Anantnag- Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency.

On Thursday night, the ECI wrote to J&K’s Chief Electoral Officer and Chief Secretary after some parties approached it seeking postponement of elections on account of difficulties in campaigning due to the closure of the Mughal Road.
The Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency is scheduled to go to polls on May 7.

The request to postpone the elections to ECI has been filed by BJP’s J&K President Ravinder Raina, J&K Apni Party Chief Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, Imran Reza Ansari (People’s Conference), Advocate Mohammad Saleen Parray, and Ali Mohammad Wani and Arsheed Ali Lone, both Independents.

“The request ( for postponing elections in Anantnag) has not come from those contesting from the seat. The strange thing is that some of the people who have written to the EC are not contesting. If I write to the EC about constituencies in Tamil Nadu etc, will they take notice,” NC Vice President Omar Abdullah, told reporters in Srinagar

Omar said the BJP and Peoples Conference have not even fielded their candidates for the Anantnag-Rajouri seat, and are among those seeking postponement of polling.

Omar said that the BJP doesn't do anything that it doesn't see as a benefit to itself.

“The fact that all its subsidiary parties are included in this list including those parties that have not fielded its candidates in this election tells you everything you need to know as to why this conspiracy against the voters of Anantnag Rajouri Parliament constituency has been hatched. But we will as a party take a very dim view of the decision that postpones this election. There is no need to postpone the election even if Mughal Road closes for a few hours,” he said

The NC Vice President said the Mughal road is open and even if it does rain, it’s not too difficult to travel on it.
“If the administration can keep the roads to Kargil, Machil, and Gurez open, then there is no reason why Mughal road cannot be kept open as well unless the administration joins in a conspiracy to manipulate the electoral mandate in this constituency,” said the former Chief Minister who was accompanied by the party candidate for the Anantnag-Rajouri seat, Mian Altaf during the briefing.
Omar said if the EC decides to postpone the polls 'all options are open', including legal recourse.
NC candidate Mian Altaf later wrote a letter to the ECI against any move to postpone the elections.
“It is our considered opinion that this move to postpone the election in the Anantnag Rajouri Parliamentary Constituency is part of a deep-rooted conspiracy at the behest of the BJP and its allied parties in J&K, to disenfranchise a large section of the voters in this constituency,” Altaf said.

Mehbooba Mufti, who is contesting the Anantnag- Rajouri Lok Sabha seat questioned the calls seeking deferment of polls.

Mufti Friday wrote to the ECI regarding the proposed postponement, saying any attempt to delay it would result in denying a level playing field to all the parties.

In the letter to ECI, Mufti noted that PDP strongly opposes the rescheduling proposal which is targeted at “derailing our campaign".
“The main alliance partner of the petitioners, BJP, is headquartered in Jammu and does not therefore face any difficulty in accessing Pir Panjal and have a widespread cadre in the area," the letter said.
“We hope that the ECI will consider the history of J&K before taking any decisions based on geography with such huge implications, in the 21st century when the Country claims to be logistically advanced especially in road communication. We once again humbly request that the present schedule should be followed,” she said while referring to the alleged rigging in the 1987 assembly.

UNI MJR/QAB BD