Amidst Polling, Mehbooba Protests Alleged Detention of Party Workers; Police Deny Claims

Within minutes after the beginning of the polling for the prestigious Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti staged a protest, demanding the release of the party workers and polling agents "detained" by the police in different police stations of south Kashmir.

"Since Friday evening, cops have been conducting raids at the residence of our worker to terrorize them. In every part of north Kashmir including Anantnag district, our polling agents have been detained in police stations without any cause or reason", Mehbooba Mufti, who is the PDP candidate on this seat, alleged.

"Administration has been involved in terrorizing people in general and PDP workers in particular", she said and asked, "I do not know why the administration is so afraid of Mehbooba Mufti"?

Alledging that the authorities are hellbent on repeating 1987 in Kashmir, Mehbooba recalled it was all due to efforts of the former Prime Minister late Atal Behari Vajpayee that peoples' confidence in the democratic institutions of the country was restored.

Notably, the infamous 1987 assembly elections in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir were allegedly rigged by the then NC-Congress regime.  Mehbooba further alleged that polling has been slowed down in many pockets where the PDP has a strong base.

Only tainted persons detained to ensure peaceful polls: Police

Police on Saturday rejected claims by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti that her party's workers and polling agents have been detained ahead of elections to Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha Constituency, saying that "detention are a very few", and are those who have "tainted past".

"Claims were made by a political party that their workers have been detained. Firstly, detention is very few and restricted only to those who have tainted past and based on credible inputs of potential threats to law and order and security on polling day," Anantnag police said in a post on 'X'.
"Mostly they are OGWs and are taken into preventive custody for ensuring a safe and peaceful election," it said.

Anantnag-Rajouri seat registers 23.34% voter turnout till 11 am

The voter turnout is picking up and witnessing a substantial surge with 23.34 percent electors casting their votes in the entire constituency by 11 am.

Elaborate arrangements have been made to facilitate the voters and polling personnel for the smooth and successful conduct of these prestigious elections.

Earlier the polling in the Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary Constituency took off with enthusiasm at the designated time in the sixth and last phase of Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
Early reports indicate a substantial presence of voters thronging and queuing in the polling stations in all the assembly segments of the Lok Sabha constituency.

A lot of enthusiasm was witnessed among the first-time voters, attired in traditional outfits, which is a testament to the robust voter awareness campaigns and the electors' commitment to exercising their democratic rights.

Earlier, mock drills were conducted in all polling booths across the Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary Constituency.

Mehbooba approaches ECI for urgent intervention

The PDP has appealed to the Election Commission for an urgent intervention to ensure free and fair elections.
In a letter to the chief election commissioner, the party said it seeks the commission's immediate attention towards "a grave matter that threatens the integrity" of the polls.
"It has come to our notice that the police in Anantnag, Shopian, and Kulgam have initiated a campaign of terror against our polling agents from the Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party (PDP). From this evening, numerous polling agents have been either forcibly taken from their residences or summoned to police stations, where they are being held in illegal confinement," the letter reads.

At numerous places, especially in the Anantnag district, the workers are being "threatened and harassed" to deter them from casting their votes, it alleged.

"This systematic targeting of PDP polling agents suggests a deliberate attempt by the state administration, acting at the behest of candidates contesting as proxies for the ruling Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) to undermine the democratic process and ensure our defeat," the PDP alleged.
The PDP appealed to the commission to direct the state police to release all detained polling agents of the PDP without delay and ensure that no further "hindrances" are created by the state administration that could affect the conduct of free and fair elections.