EC postpones election to Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat to May 25; cites logistical issues due to adverse weather conditions

PTI

New Delhi/Srinagar, April 30

The Election Commission on Tuesday postponed polls to the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat to May 25, citing logistical issues due to adverse weather conditions.

There are 20 candidates in the race including former chief minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and noted religious leader Mian Altaf. The election was earlier scheduled to be held on May 7.

Except for the poll date, there are no changes in any part of the schedule, officials said.

In an official communication, the EC said that various representations were received from different political parties of Jammu and Kashmir for shifting the date of election to the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency.

These parties had cited various logistic, communication and natural barriers of connectivity turning out as a hindrance in campaigning which in turn amounted to a lack of fair opportunities for the contesting candidates in the parliamentary constituency. 

"The Commission, after considering a report from UT administration as well as analysing the ground situation prevailing in the said constituency, has decided under Section 56 of the Representation of People Act, 1951, to revise the date of poll" from May 7 to May 25, it said.

The Election Commission officials said the Commission has only revised the poll date for the Lok Sabha seat and all statutory processes including nomination, scrutiny and withdrawal are already over with 20 contesting candidates.

The leaders, who had petitioned the EC, included Jammu and Kashmir BJP unit chief Ravinder Raina, Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari, People's Conference leader Imran Ansari and others.

The Election Commission had asked the Jammu and Kashmir administration to immediately submit a detailed report on road conditions, weather and accessibility to the region which covers parts of south Kashmir and areas in Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region. 

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