Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): PDP leader Iltija Mufti, an advisor to former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, criticised the administration's conduct in the lead-up to the recently announced elections. During a press conference at the party's office in Srinagar on Friday evening, Iltija welcomed the election announcement but expressed concerns about the timing and fairness of the process.
"India is the world's largest democracy, yet elections have not been held here for six years. We welcome this move, but it should have happened six years ago," Iltija said, highlighting the long delay in conducting elections in the region.
Iltija voiced concerns over the impartiality of the upcoming elections, citing recent administrative actions. "Our concern is that elections should be conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner. Just before the announcement of the election date, around 150-200 transfers occurred abruptly and arbitrarily by the LG-led J&K government. The administration's behaviour here is full of prejudice and bias; they favour the BJP. You all know how hostile they have been toward other parties," she stated.
Iltija also took the opportunity and criticized the Director General of Police (DGP), R.R. Swain, for making political statements, which she argued were beyond his jurisdiction. She called for the elections to be free from any political influence, particularly from the BJP.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) today announced that assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases starting on September 18, with subsequent phases on September 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 4, marking the first elections in the region in a decade.
Jammu and Kashmir has been under the administration of a Lieutenant Governor since August 5, 2019, following the BJP's withdrawal of support from the PDP-BJP government in June 2018. The region was initially placed under the President's Rule, which was extended following the abrogation of Article 370 and the state's reorganization into two Union Territories.
In recent developments, the LG administration relieved senior IPS officer R.R. Swain as Director General of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) after his successor, Nalin Prabhat, was appointed as the new Director General of Police. Prabhat, who was appointed by the Ministry of Home Affairs as Special DG of Jammu and Kashmir Police, will officially take over on October 1, 2024.
Additionally, the LG administration transferred 89 civil officers on Thursday night, including deputy commissioners, department secretaries, and various other high-ranking officials. Many of these officers had held their positions for more than three years or were posted in their home districts, raising further concerns about the fairness of the upcoming elections.
Read More
