The Election Commission of India announced on Wednesday, the postponement of the polls for the Lok Sabha seat in Anantnag-Rajouri, Kashmir, from the original date of May 7 to May 25. This adjustment has been attributed to logistical challenges due to adverse weather conditions. The Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat, which underwent reshaping post the recommendations by the Delimitation Commission in 2022, spans multiple districts and regions.
This resolution was formed under Section 56 of the Representation of People Act, 1951, following several representations from different political bodies in Jammu and Kashmir. These entities include parties like the BJP, Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP), and the People’s Conference. The representations highlighted various barriers such as logistical, communication, and natural impediments that may potentially hinder fair campaigning opportunities for the contending candidates in the constituency.
Several local leaders, including former Chief Minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, and prominent religious figure Mian Altaf, have welcomed the Commission’s decision. Furthermore, Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad and Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party(JKAP) chief Altaf Bukhari were among those expressing their support for the postponement.
However, the Commission’s decision to change the polling date, despite the completion of crucial statutory processes such as nomination, scrutiny, and withdrawal, has resulted in objections from various quarters. Prominent critics, including former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, voiced their reservations over the need for the postponement, suggesting that the present conditions were adequate for campaigning. There is a growing skepticism regarding the ECI’s decision owing to the apparent lack of significant campaigning hindrances in the region. The timing of this rescheduling, shortly before the originally planned polling date, has only added fuel to the speculations over the Commission’s decision-making process and its vulnerability to external pressures.