INDIA VOTES 2024: Two days before polling, J&K administration imposes Section 144 in Pulwama

Naseer Ganai

Srinagar, May 11

As the government imposed Section 144 ahead of polling in the Pulwama area of Srinagar constituency, the PDP accused it of promoting “Ikhwan Raj” and repeating the events of 1987. The party said if the Lt Governor of J&K, Manoj Sinha, wanted to carry out the elections in this manner, he should directly tell the PDP and the party was ready to step back from this “facade of an election.”

Routine affair, says govt

• The Pulwama administration on Saturday said the imposition of Section 144 was a “routine” affair
• “Section 126 and Section 130 of Representation of People’s Act, 1951, and SOPs edition 2 para 4.1.1, 4.1.2 and 4.1.3 mandate the issuing of order under Section 144 of the CrPC,” it said
• “Such orders have also been issued in other districts going to the polls,” the administration said

Ready to pull out of elections

If all of this is necessary, why engage in the theatrics of elections? If you want to repeat 1987, tell us, we will withdraw from the election. Mehbooba Mufti, PDP chief

In a hurriedly convened press conference here, former J&K Chief Minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti described the imposition of Section 144 as “promoting Ikhwan (counterinsurgent) rule in Kashmir and echoing the situation of 1987”.

She said: “They have ordered the imposition of Section 144 in Pulwama from 6.30 pm on Saturday. This is unprecedented and reminiscent of past occurrences.” The PDP chief added: “They have announced the imposition of Section 144 in an area scheduled for elections and it will remain in effect until the elections conclude.”

PDP workers were being summoned to police stations, she claimed. “This is also happening in Surankote, where many of our workers are being called in. I fail to comprehend the intentions of the administration,” the former CM said.

Mehbooba added: “If the Election Commission intends to replicate the events of 1987, why go through the charade of holding elections in Jammu and Kashmir? If they seek to elevate their proxies, their political Ikhwan, whom they are endorsing, then why conduct these polls? They are promoting these well-dressed Ikhwan figures.”

The 1987 J&K Assembly elections are infamous for widespread rigging, which ignited militancy in the region, while the “Ikhwan” was a counterinsurgent force established in the mid-1990s, widely accused of human rights violations in the Valley.

Mehbooba said the BJP was not openly endorsing what she referred to as its “proxies” in the south Kashmir constituency at present. “The saffron party will openly declare support for its proxies once polling concludes in Srinagar and Baramulla constituencies,” she added.

Mehbooba further said: “The government machinery is backing these political Ikhwan figures. They selectively target PDP workers and selectively impose Section 144. I want to ask the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir why the government machinery is being utilised to promote these proxies. The entire prestige and power of the Government of India is backing these political Ikhwanis.”

“Our movement is being restricted in Surankote and similarly, it is being constrained here. I want to ask the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir why this government machinery is used to promote these proxies. If all of this is necessary, why engage in the theatrics of elections? We are still reeling from the shock of 1987,” she said.

“If you want to repeat 1987, tell us, we will leave. Why we are making our workers suffer?” the PDP chief said.