Don’t deprive nomads of voting right, create mechanism: J&K Cong leaders to ECI

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee Senior Vice President and Chief Spokesperson Ravinder Sharma on Wednesday stated that the Gujjar-Bakerwal and other Scheduled Tribe Communities have embarked on their seasonal migration to upper reaches alongwith their livestock and would be deprived of their valuable voting right.
He said that both the Parliamentary Constituencies of Jammu region have a sizable population of Gujjar-Bakerwal and other Scheduled Tribe Communities, most of whom are nomads.
A large number of members of these communities from these constituencies have already left for higher reaches.
In the absence of proper arrangements, they are likely to miss their democratic right to cast their vote, Sharma said.
Expressing concern over the matter, Sharma asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to devise a mechanism to ensure wholehearted participation of these communities in the voting process.
He also took exception to the cumbersome procedures to seek permissions for vehicles, public meetings, ferrying publicity material etc.
The DEOs are not entertaining offline requests in remote areas and separate permissions for each district from DEOs is required 48 hours before, he said adding, “In J&K, most Lok Sabha constituencies have more than three-four districts. ECI should direct for simplifying and implementable guidelines for all, as it is a festival of democracy.” UNI