Srinagar, Nov 20 (UNI) Urging Lt Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha to ensure free and fair environment for District Development Council (DDC) polls in Jammu and Kashmir, senior Communist Party of India (M) Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami on Friday alleged that candidates contesting these elections were not being allowed to campaign in their constituencies and have been bundled in cluster accommodations.
In a letter to LG Mr Sinha, former MLA said the first ever DDC elections are commencing in next few days and to make the process credible, the participation of voters is imperative. However, he alleged, a good number of candidates, who are contesting these polls, have been kept away from their constituencies and they have been bundled in ‘cluster accommodations’.
He said after filing their nomination papers, they are not allowed to hold campaigning in their respective segments due to a perceived threat to their lives. Confining candidates against their wishes has severely restricted their movement and ability to campaign. Even in some cases, they are not allowed to attend party meetings. And some cases have surfaced where opposite candidates are sent in a same vehicle to a village for campaigning and are asked to campaign together, the letter said adding several candidates from far off places were sent to hotels in Srinagar soon after they filled the nomination forms last week. Not just the voters, but the families of the candidates are also concerned.
Mr Tarigami further said in the letter, “You may have come to know about these issues through media reports as well. It is a big concern and there is lot of dissatisfaction on ground over such arrangements. Who wins and who loses, the decision must lie on electorate. Democracy must finally win. For that the process must be made secure and credible. It is advisable not to put avoidable restrictions on the contesting candidates and instead their legitimate movement for the campaigning in their respective areas must be effectively facilitated”.
“ Ensuring a free and fair environment for this process is essential”, he urged.
UNI BAS SY 1628