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| Edited By: DNA Web Team |Source: DNA Web Desk |Updated: Oct 13, 2022, 11:21 AM IST
The central government came in the line of fire after new orders were issued regarding the voter list in Jammu and Kashmir, where the administration said that residents who have been living in the valley for over a year can vote in the upcoming elections.
The Jammu administration authorised tehsildars (revenue officials) to issue a certificate of residence to those residing in the winter capital for more than a year to enable their registration as voters. This prompted political parties to slam the Centre, urging authorities to overrule the decision.
The order regarding the revisions in the voter list was issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Jammu. The DC further urged that the decision was taken to ensure that no eligible voter is left for registration in the ongoing special summary revision of electoral rolls.
Letter issued by Deputy Commissioner of Jammu for acceptance of documents for registration as electors authorizes all tehsildars to issue certificate of residence to people residing in Jammu "for more than one year." pic.twitter.com/V958ZAQilm — ANI (@ANI) October 12, 2022
The residents who have been residing in Jammu and Kashmir for more than one year can use documents like Aadhar Card, water/electricity/gas connections, bank passbooks, passports, registered land deeds, etc, to register themselves on the voter list.
The National Conference, PDP, Congress, and other prominent political parties in Jammu and Kashmir were left outraged by this decision of the Jammu administration, while the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) defended the decision, saying that it is in line with the new laws.
While Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti alleged that the Centre's "colonial settler project" has been initiated in the region, the National Conference urged the people of J-K to defeat these conspiracies at the ballot box.
Ghulam Nabi Azad, who had left the Congress party earlier this year, was also dissatisfied with the decision, saying that the order regarding the new voter list would further increase tensions in Jammu and Kashmir.
It must be noted that this is the first time that electoral revisions are taking place in Jammu and Kashmir after Article 370 was abrogated by the Narendra Modi-led central government.
Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina, however, said the guidelines are in accordance with the Representation of the People Act.
There is nothing wrong with people from outside J-K getting enrolled as voters in the Union Territory, a right that is given to them by the Constitution. After the abrogation of Article 370 (in August 2019), the Act came into force in J-K as well, he said, as per PTI reports.
(With PTI inputs)
