Congress all set to oppose inclusion of non-local voters in J&K's electoral rolls

The Congress has made it clear on Saturday (August 20) that it will oppose the inclusion of  non-local voters in electoral rolls in Jammu and Kashmir. It is considering the possibility of opposing it legally.

The AICC in-charge J&K Rajini Patil termed the move to allow non-locals to vote in J&K as illegal. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event in Srinagar to mark the 78th birth anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi she said that the Congress would participate in the all-party meeting convened over the issue by National Conference president Farooq Abdullah.

She told reporters that the Congress will discuss this issue. “We will… oppose it,” she reiterated. The party would fight the issue legally and file a PIL, she added.

Also read: Ghulam Nabi Azad jolt has J&K Congress in turmoil

Further she said that the Congress will attend the all-party meeting. “Our (Pradesh) president and the working president will attend the meeting. The Congress party will stand for the interests of democracy,” she said.

Vikar Rasool took over as the party’s new JKPCC president at the function.

Replying to a question on whether senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was miffed with the party leadership, Patil said Azad has not resigned from any post. “He has declined to take a post on the grounds of his health. We are in continuous touch with him. In fact, Rasool’s name was proposed by Azad only,” she said.

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Many political parties in J&K have objected to chief electoral officer Hirdesh Kumar’s statement that the Union territory is likely to get around 25 lakh additional voters, including outsiders, who will be people living there for the purpose of work. These people will also be able to vote in the next Assembly election.