Jailed Engineer Rashid to fight from Baramulla

Srinagar, March 20

Engineer Rashid, currently lodged in jail on UAPA charges, will contest the Lok Sabha elections from Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla constituency on an Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) ticket, the party has said.

Party’s spokesman Firdous Baba expressed hope that Rashid would be released from prison before the elections. He said Engineer Rashid, even if not released, would still contest the polls from jail, as the Constitution allows an accused person, who is not convicted, to contest elections from jail.

Rashid was first elected to the J&K Legislative Assembly from Langate in 2008 and re-elected in 2014. He contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Baramulla, getting third place.

“We don’t have any money. We don’t have any other things. We are appealing to people to become our voters and polling agents,” AIP leaders said while addressing a press conference here.

Engineer Rashid was arrested in 2019 and charged by the National Investigation Agency under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).