Srinagar: The decision of Election Commission of India extend Scheme for migrant Kashmiri pandits to the Lok Sabha elections has drawn flak by the regional political parties in the state as they apprehend the scheme may be misused for a particular party.
As per the scheme, Kashmiri migrant pandits can vote in person at transitory camps or by means of postal ballot.
The three parliamentary constituencies Srinagar, Anantnag and Baramulla have nearly one lakh Pandit voters spread across different districts.
Election Commission (EC) establishes polling stations for migrant Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu, Udhampur and New Delhi camps.
Kashmiri Pandits, who migrated in 1990 after the eruption of militancy, cast their votes at the places of the living outside the Valley.
“We have no objection to it, but ECI has to ensure that it is not misused for the benefit of a particular political party,” Naeem Akhtar, PDP’s senior leader told Kashmir News Service (KNS).
National Conference said that the party has apprehension about the system of management of such pattern of voting.
“There are chances of its misuse. How it can be monitored? It seems unmanageable,” Nasir Aslam Wani, NC provincial president told Kashmir News Service (KNS).
