Deferring state poll setback to democracy, says Farooq

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 11

National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah has expressed dismay over the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) announcement of not holding simultaneous Assembly polls with Lok Sabha elections in J&K, describing it as a major setback for democracy in the state.

The MP from Srinagar, while talking to mediapersons at the party headquarters here on Monday, said the decision could have “serious ramifications” across the state. “The ones who took this democratically incoherent decision must be up to some mischief. Otherwise, there is no sound reason for not conducting both elections simultaneously. If the situation is conducive for Parliament elections, what stops them from conducting Assembly elections at the same time?” Farooq Abdullah asked.

“I fail to comprehend the yardstick that has been employed by the ECI in not announcing both elections together,” he said. “Why the same principle was not employed at the time of urban local bodies and panchayat elections? Perhaps local body polls had become a point of prestige for the Prime Minister that is why they were conducted without giving a thought about security and other issues, which are being raked up today,” he added.

Farooq said there was “something fishy” in the decision and told the ruling party at the Centre “to refrain from supplanting their setup in the state as such a move will inadvertently create ruckus in the state”.

Meanwhile, the state Congress also criticised the move to defer the Assembly elections saying it was “not in the benefit of democracy” and against the aspirations of people.

The ones who took this democratically incoherent decision must be up to some mischief. Otherwise, there is no sound reason for not conducting both elections simultaneously.  — Farooq Abdullah, NC President