Tasaduq Mufti bats for postponement of Anantnag by-polls

Srinagar/April,8: PDP candidate for Anantnag parliamentary by-polls, Tasaduq Mufti Monday appealed to the Election Commission of India to postpone the elections scheduled for April 12.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Tasaduq said the atmosphere is not conducive for conducting by-poll in Anantnag parliamentary constituency.
“I appeal ECI to postpone the elections. There is no favourable atmosphere for the elections,” he said. “The situation is continuously changing and we must make amendments accordingly,” he said.
Asked whether he would withdraw from his candidature if the ECI does not defer the elections, he said “what is the benefit of that if ECI does not agree to postpone.”
Eight civilian young men were killed by government forces yesterday in Budgam and Ganderbal districts during protests against the elections in Srinagar parliamentary constituency. Following the killings, Hurriyat calls for two day shutdown in Kashmir and they had already called for shutdown in polling day on April 12 in Anantnag parliamentary constituencies.
He said that the state government has also communicated to the ECI to postpone the elections.
On the boycott of yesterday’s by-polls in Srinagar parliamentary constituencies, Tasaduq said that democracy has not functioned properly in Jammu and Kashmir.
“You cannot force people to vote or not to vote,” he said on the boycott of elections called by the Hurriyat.