Congress Opposes Inclusion Of "Non-Locals" In Jammu-Kashmir Elections

The Congress on Saturday said it will oppose the inclusion of non-local voters in electoral rolls in Jammu and Kashmir and is mulling mounting a legal challenge over the issue.

AICC in-charge Jammu and Kashmir Rajini Patil alleged that the move to allow non-locals to vote in J-K was illegal and said the Congress would attend the all-party meeting convened over the issue by National Conference president Farooq Abdullah.

“We will discuss this issue. We will... oppose it,” she said here.

She was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event to mark the 78th birth anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. Vikar Rasool took over as the party's new JKPCC president at the function.

She said the party would fight the issue legally and file a PIL.

“We will attend the all-party meeting. Our (Pradesh) president and the working president will attend the meeting. The Congress party will stand for the interests of democracy,' she said.

Asked whether senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was miffed with the party leadership, Rajini Patil said Azad has not resigned from any post.

“He has declined to take a post on the grounds of his health. We are in continuous touch with him. In fact, Rasool's name was proposed by Azad only,” she said.

Many parties in Jammu and Kashmir have objected to its Chief Electoral Officer Hirdesh Kumar's remarks that the Union territory is likely to get around 25 lakh additional voters, including outsiders, as people ordinarily residing here even for work purpose can cast vote in the next assembly election.