'Remains Unchanged': J&K Issues Clarification After Reports of 25L New Voters' Enrollment, Non-local Voting

Following the uproar over the move to grant non-local voting rights, the Directorate of Information and Public Relations of Union Territory Jammu and Kashmir clarified that there is no change in special provisions for Kashmiri migrants to be enrolled in electoral rolls of their original native constituencies.

The announcement comes two days after Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Hirdesh Kumar, stated that non-locals in union territory could register to vote and vote in regional elections. He also predicted a 25 lakh increase in voters.

“After the abrogation of Article 370, many people who were not enlisted as voters in the erstwhile state of J&K are now eligible to vote and in addition anyone who is living ordinarily can also avail the opportunity to get enlisted as a voter in J&K in accordance with the provisions of representation of the Peoples Act,” Kumar told reporters in Srinagar.

“We are expecting an addition of 20 to 25 lakh new voters in the final list,” Kumar said.

Many people, including political leaders Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah, were outraged by the move.

DIPR issued a statement saying, “The special provisions for Kashmiri migrants to be enrolled in the electoral rolls of their original native constituencies remain unchanged. They will continue to have the option of voting at their place of enrolment, by postal ballot, or at specially set-up polling stations in Jammu, Udhampur, and Delhi, among other places.”

“According to media reports, more than 25 lakh additions will be made to the electoral rolls once the process of electoral roll revision begins,” they added.

Read the Latest News and Breaking News here