Guv: People’s participation in elections a positive sign

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, October 21

A day after the declaration of the municipal poll results, Governor Satya Pal Malik said the participation of people in the elections was a “positive development”.

The Governor said the elections were held peacefully and people deserved much credit for it.

“The turnout has been such (low) many times before. The polls were peaceful and for that the police, administration and other security forces as well as people (deserve the credit). Without people, it was not possible. If they would had come out on the roads and indulged in violence, then it would not have been possible. I am thankful that the elections were conducted without any loss of life,” Malik told reporters on the sidelines of the Police Commemoration Day function at Zewan on the outskirts of Srinagar city on Sunday.

The voting percentage in Kashmir in the municipal polls hit an all-time low of only 4.3 per cent. While the two regional parties — NC and PDP — boycotted the polls, the low voter turnout has come under criticism from various quarters.

Malik maintained that it was a “positive sign” that people had come out to vote.

“…In the last phase, around 10,000 people came out to vote in Srinagar. There was stone-throwing on them and in turn those who voted also pelted stones, so the police had to save the stone throwers,” Malik said.

The Governor said his aim was not to see who would become the mayor, but try to prove that the elections were for the people.

“We will give a maximum amount of money from the Centre or the state for the panchayats and municipalities and try to prove the point that the elections were for the people,” he said.

Earlier in his speech, the Governor said the situation here was extraordinary.

“Sometimes there has been a good turnout and sometimes not. But I have received congratulations from everyone in Delhi and have been told to congratulate the forces as well as the people for the peaceful polls,” he said.

On the J&K Police, the Governor said it was the first line of defence for the security of the state. “…Army officers, CRPF and BSF DGs come and meet me and all of them say that without the J&K Police they will not be able to do anything. The J&K Police is the first line of defence of the state and without them we are blind,” the Governor said.

‘Improvement in ground situation in Kashmir’ 

Srinagar: There is a huge improvement in the ground situation in Kashmir valley and people coming out to vote in the recent civic polls in a peaceful atmosphere is a positive sign, Governor Satya Pal Malik said here Sunday. "We are trying a lot to improve the situation at the ground level and as you can see, there is a huge improvement," he said after addressing the Police Commemoration Day function. PTI