Congress Regrets Unilateral Decisions of Government, EC on Polls; To Take a Call in Couple of Days

Srinagar 4 November (KNB): Congress would take a decision, in a couple of days, with regard to the participation in the just announced elections to DDC/BDCs but regretted the unilateral decisions of the government and the election commission to announce the elections for such an electoral excercise, even bigger than assembly elections,without holding pre requisite,  prior consultations with the recognised parties with regard to the creation, delimitation of constituencies, security concerns and conduct of elections.

Reacting to the announcement of polls to the panchayat bodies, JKPCC chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir said that it is congress party which brought 73rd amendment in the constitution and ensured incorporation of its most provisions in Jammu and Kashmir but the unilateral decisions of the government and the election commission for any such a big electoral excercise for holding elections to 280 DDC seats across twenty districts along with large no of BDC and panchayat vacancies, while bypassing all settled norms and precedents of our vibrant democracy, is most unfortunate, more particularly in such a sensitive region with volatile atmosphere.

The party chief said that there are settled precedents for holding pre consultations for any such an electoral excercise in the country and to take the suggestions of the recognised political parties with regard to the all issues connected with the elections while in the sensitive regions like Jammu and Kashmir, the security concerns are the added and most important factors to be discussed, since it is bigger than the assembly elections having 280 DDC seats along with vacant BDC and panchayat seats, with much larger number of expected candidates.

Unfortunately the entire exercise, right from the arbitrary, uneven and unjust creation and nomenclature of DDC constituencies, the biased and non transparent delimitation and reservation of constituencies to the announcement of elections has been done at the back of recognised political parties and other stakeholders with procedure of objections and time period, merely is formality. This is not expected in a healthy and vibrant democracy of our country and goes against all norms of fairness and transparency and settled traditions of the participatory democracy, especially in a sensitive place like Jammu and Kashmir, Mir said.

The party would take a decision with regard to its participation, in a couple of days, after proper consultations at all levels. (KNB)

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