Voting Rights To Non-Locals Sparks Fresh Controversy In Jammu And Kashmir

A fresh controversy over voting rights to non-locals has erupted in Jammu and Kashmir. An official order is asking enrollment officials to register people as voters who have no documentary proof but living in the region for last one year. It has deepened fears of manipulation of voter lists and allegations of demographic changes.

All the regional parties and leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Azad, have raised the red flag and opposed the move.

Mehbooba Mufti, former J&K Chief Minister has accused the government for implementing a "colonial settler project" which has been initiated in Jammu.

A circular issued by District Magistrate Jammu authorises Revenue officials to issue certificates of residence to those living in Jammu for more than one year as part of the voter enrolment process.

In the circular, Avny Lavasa, who is also district election officer Jammu, says it has been noted that some fresh eligible voters were facing hardships in registration as voters for non-availability of required documents.

"It has been noticed that some eligible voters are facing hardships in registration as voters for non-availability of documents," reads the circular.

"Tehsildar's are authorized to issue certificate of residence after conducting necessary field verifications, to the person(s) residing in District Jammu for more than one year," it said.

The revision of electoral rolls in Jammu and Kashmir will be completed on November 25. During his recent visit to J&K, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that assembly elections will be held soon after the completion of electoral rolls.

The controversy over inclusion of non-locals first started in August after J&K's chief electoral officer said that 20-25 lakh new voters will be added during special revision of electoral rolls and that non-locals who are ordinarily living in Jammu and Kashmir will be enrolled as voters.

Before abrogation of J&K's special constitutional status, only permanent residents were eligible to vote.

All those laws defining permanent residents of erstwhile state and barring outsiders from owning property and voting rights in Jammu and Kashmir were done away with in August 2019.

Before revision of electoral rolls, delimitation exercise that has redrawn 90 assembly constitutes has already become controversial and its genuineness is questioned.

There are allegations of gerrymandering and brazen discrepancies in allotting seats on the considerations other than population as sole criteria.

The opposition alleges it was done to turn a demographic majority into a political minority to help a political party. The BJP has rejected allegations.

Now it's the inclusion of non-locals which has deepened fears and questions are raised over credibility of the process.

Quoting Election Commission guidelines for voter registration, the circular issued by Ms Lavasa also provides that in case a person doesn't have documents like water/electricity bill, passport, rent deed, a field verification by an official can help a person to get a certificate of residence and enrolled as a voter.