Srinagar: The shifting of poll contestant to security facility centres opened up in selected hotels has triggered fears of political discrimination across Central Kashmir’s Budgam district. However Deputy Commissioner Budgam Shahbaz Mirza has put to rest fears of political discrimination with the assurance that the security assessment for the candidates is in progress and arrangements would be put in place for security of the poll contestants irrespective of their party affiliations for their campaigning during the campaign periods.
Informed sources told Kashmir Horizon that around fifteen candidates most of them belonging to Peoples’ Democratic Front (PDF) were moved to security facilitation centres in selected hotels in Humhama and adjoining areas immediately after they filed their nomination papers for the unfilled vacancies of panchs, sarpanchs and newly notified DDC seats. Confirming the shifting of his several party candidates to security facilities centres the Chairman Peoples’ Democratic Front (PDF) Hakeem Mohanmad Yassen told Kashmir Horizon “ shifting candidates to security facility centres is highly condemnable as they should have been provided security at their residential places as the panchs and sarpanches are already availing security facilities at their residential places. Government should have made elaborate security arrangements for the polls months before announcing the elections”. However Deputy Commission Budgam Shahbaz Mirza refuted the allegation of political discrimination in security of the candidates and said “security assessment for the candidates is in progress and arrangements would be put in place for security of the poll contestants irrespective of their party affiliations for their campaigning during the campaign periods”.
