The Election Commission of India postponed on Tuesday the polls for the Lok Sabha seat in Anantnag-Rajouri in Kashmir to May 25, altering the initially scheduled date of May 7, citing logistical challenges attributed to adverse weather conditions. The Lok Sabha is the lower house of India’s parliament. The Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat, reshaped following recommendations from the Delimitation Commission in 2022, spans multiple districts and regions.
This decision, made under Section 56 of the Representation of People Act, 1951, follows numerous representations from various political entities in Jammu and Kashmir, including parties such as the BJP, Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP), and the People’s Conference. These representations highlighted the logistical, communication, and natural barriers hindering fair campaigning opportunities for contesting candidates in the constituency.
Many local leaders supported the Commission’s decision. This included notable figures among the candidates such as former Chief Minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, and prominent religious leader Mian Altaf. The call for postponement received support from leaders such as the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad and Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party(JKAP) chief Altaf Bukhari, among others.
The Commission’s decision to revise the polling date, despite having already completed crucial statutory processes such as nomination, scrutiny and withdrawal, did raise significant concerns among some. Notable voices of opposition, including former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, expressed reservations about the necessity of postponement, suggesting that adequate conditions for campaigning existed. Critics have pointed out the absence of significant obstacles to campaigning in the region, leading to skepticism about the ECI’s decision. The timing of the postponement, occurring shortly before the originally scheduled polling date, has further fueled speculation about the Commission’s decision-making process and its susceptibility to external pressures.
