Srinagar: Counting of votes for Hajin-A and Drugmulla constituencies of DDC in north Kashmir's Bandipora and Kupwara districts was stopped on Tuesday due to the nationality status of the candidates contesting from these seats, officials said.
The two women, Shazia Aslam and Somia Sadaf who belong to Pakistan administered Kashmir and are married to local residents in Kashmir, were contesting the DDC polls from Bandipora's Hajin A and Kupwara's Drugmulla, respectively. Both were contesting the elections as Independent candidates.
Shazia Aslam and Somia Sadaf had campaigned aggressively in their areas to woo the voters. Talking to ETV Bharat, officials said that the counting was stopped as the candidates belong to Pakistan.
When asked why the counting was cancelled, the official said, "Both the candidates had not revealed that they were Pakistani citizens in their forms. That is why the counting for these two seats in Hajin A and Drugmulla was stopped."
The official further said that a decision in this regard will be taken soon. Wives of former Pakistani militants, who are living in Kashmir with their families under the government's rehabilitation policy, had last week held a protest in Srinagar against the Centre demanding permanent Indian citizenship.
During the early 90s, many Kashmiri men had crossed over to Pakistan administered Kashmir to get arms training and eventually married the local women there. The Central Government and the Jammu and Kashmir government over the years introduced policies for such militants who wanted to return to their families in Kashmir. It is under such rehabilitation policies and promises that many former militants with their families returned to Kashmir over the years.
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