CONTROVERSY SET AT REST
The latest statement by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Hirdesh Kumar Singh with regard to new voters in the UT has set at rest the controversy which was created by his earlier statement claiming that 25 lakh new voters will become eligible to exercise their right to franchise in J&K. The apprehensions made by various political parties except the BJP that the move will disenfranchise were finally cleared as the CEO has clarified at the all-party meeting that the actual number of new voters for the assembly election would be known only after the summary revision of electoral rolls in the Union Territory. There is no doubt that the political parties in J&K misunderstood the earlier statement of the CEO that the addition of 25 lakh voters will pave the way for outsiders to cast their votes in the Union Territory. The CEO making things right has also said that the figure of 25 lakh new voters had no sanctity as the actual number would be known only after the revision of the electoral rolls. It is pertinent to mention that
representatives of BJP, National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Congress, BSP, Peoples Conference (PC), Apni Party, JK National Panthers Party and Ikkjutt Jammu interacted with the CEO during the All Party Meeting and the inclusion of non-locals in the revised electoral rolls was opposed by the participants other than the BJP and the Ikkjutt Jammu party while the CEO said that the eligibility of voters would be determined as per the provisions of the Representation of the Peoples Act of 1950-1951, setting the air clear. The transparent approach adopted by the CEO is quite laudable because all the political parties returned satisfied reposing confidence in the constitutional body, which is good for democracy. After the meeting, BJP Spokesperson J&K Abhinav Sharma made it clear that the Representation of People’s Act 1951 has been extended to J&K and therefore any ordinarily residing person has the option to become a voter in the Union Territory. This fact is known to one and all and therefore the representatives of all the political outfits were pleased with the developments that took place in the All Party Meeting.