BJP: Derecognise political parties boycotting polls

Jammu, September 29

The Bharatiya Janata Party has urged the J&K Chief Electoral Officer to derecognise the political parties which have announced a boycott of urban local bodies and panchayat elections.

In a press conference held here on Saturday, state BJP spokesperson Anil Gupta said the National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Bahujan Samaj Party were state/national-level parties with reserved election symbols. These parties are mandated to participate in all elections as per Section 29A (5) of the Representation of People Act, 1951.

“By not participating in the election process, these parties are violating Section 29A (5) and 29A (7) of the Representation of People Act, 1951, and Election Symbol Order 1968 and thus they are liable to be derecognised and their election symbols frozen. A precedence exists wherein the Election Commission of India has in the past derecognized a few parties,” claimed the spokesperson. — TNS