J-K authorities set up helpdesk to reach out to Kashmiri migrant voters across country
Jammu, August 27
As preparations for the Assembly elections gain momentum in Jammu and Kashmir, the relief and rehabilitation department has established a helpdesk to assist eligible voters from the displaced Kashmiri community residing across the country.
The department has intensified efforts to ensure free and fair elections for Kashmiri migrants, with the Election Commission of India (EC) setting up 24 special polling stations and a postal ballot scheme for displaced community voters in Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi, they said.
"A helpdesk has been established in our office and across various zones. Several employees have been deployed to ensure seamless facilitation of migrant polling," Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner Arvind Karwani told PTI.
Karwani said the helpdesk was actively addressing issues faced by migrants, with the goal of enhancing voter facilities ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, starting September 18.
"Kashmiri migrant voters opting to vote in person via electronic voting machines (EVMs) will have access to 24 polling stations, including 19 in Jammu, 1 in Udhampur and 4 in Delhi," he said.
Karwani said all necessary arrangements had been made at these polling stations in accordance with EC guidelines.
The EC issued a notification on August 22, outlining voting options for Kashmiri migrants, offering choices of both in-person voting at special stations and through postal ballots.
Karwani said the updated electoral rolls, detailing migrant electors in various zones of Jammu and Udhampur mapped to respective special polling stations, would soon be published.
"Corrections or objections will be accepted within a seven-day period," he added.
The 90 Assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir are scheduled to go to polls in three phases beginning September 18, with counting slated for October 4.
