STATE TIMES NEWS
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Awami National Conference (ANC) has filed a writ petition before Supreme Court (SC) of India seeking direction or order to quash the declaration of schedule for general elections to the Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir by Election Commission of India and postpone the election process in the State till a conducive atmosphere is regained and rehabilitation process of millions of flood affected people is concluded.
This was informed by ANC Senior Vice President A.R Shaheen at the press conference in New Delhi on Monday.
“State of Jammu and Kashmir witnessed unprecedented floods in September 2014”, he said adding that about 6 lakh people were displaced and dislocated in Srinagar alone and their whereabouts for the purpose of casting votes is not available.
“Large numbers of people are still fighting for food, drinking water, medicines and shelter for their survival”, he said adding that a large number of people are still languishing in makeshift tents or government shelter homes.
“However, unmindful of the aforesaid natural calamity”, he said, Election Commission has declared the schedule for general elections to the Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir possibly to comply with the mandate of Section 15 of RP Act, 1951 disregarding the plight of the people.
“Unfortunately, Election Commission visited the State only for a day and they did not even come out of their camp office to assess the ground reality”, he said.
“The Commission did not make any enquiry with any affected person as to whether the situation is conducive for holding a free and fair election”, he added.
JKANC also appealed to all those political parties who are in haste to grab power ignoring the pitiable plight of the devastated masses, to reconsider their decision for favouring conduct of elections under present circumstances.